Kingdom Animalia
by Twilight Stallion
Summary: Linked to the vast, wondrous world of Hyrule is a land known only in legend. So finds Link, as he is thrust into a place of danger, myth, and magic. With the help of his friends, he seeks the greatest power in Hyrule for a way to protect it.
1. The Horseman's Treasure

_A/N: For all you newcomers, this is the Twilight Stallion's most valued work to date. _

_I implore you good people to read, review, comment, criticize, and discuss as much as you like. But most of all..._

_Please enjoy._

**Chapter 1- The Horseman's Treasure**

Link vaguely listened to the spectators' hushed comments, hearing loose words such as _"horse," "Rex," _and _"nonsense," _and even _"impossible."_

Rex Keas, known simply as Mr. Rex to his working hands, was the owner of the white painted stables that lay tucked in the hills. His barn housed a number of fine steeds, bred for the purpose of being sent to the capital to be trained as war horses as soon as they matured. The stable building formed a square around a large wood fenced corral, which at this moment was seated upon by a crowd of visitors waiting for a show to begin.

Among this throng of people was the one called Link, a young man with a flaxen head of hair and serious eyebrows furrowed over striking blue eyes. He leaned casually against the fence, shifting his feet impatiently, indifferent to the other people surrounding him.

He stood there because his boss, Rex, had made the claim that he could tame the wildest horse in the stable, Epona. Arrogant as he was, Rex had made this declaration public, and attracted many spectators to watch and see if he would succeed. Though some people believed that the brusque man would be able to ride the untamed mare, most heckled this idea and came only to watch Rex be thrown into the dirt.

He chuckled to himself, as one might do when he knows a fact that others do not. What he knew was that Epona, the mare he loved and cared for, was not wild at all; Link had ridden her dozens of times at night, when all of the other stable-hands slept, and when Rex would not be able to stand by and throw snide remarks and insults their way. In fact, as far as anybody knew, Link was the only one Epona trusted, and the always high-and-mighty Rex refused to accept it. When the mare had fully matured, Rex forbade Link from riding her, since he would not eat his pride because of this boy.

Link could only observe with apprehension the chaos that would ensue. The corral gate swung open and out trotted Epona, at the time bare of a saddle or bridle. Though he had been friends with this horse ever since her birth, Link still awed at her; Epona, like her brothers and sisters, was a largely built horse, with a reddish chestnut color to her coat, a thick mane and tail as white as snow, and thin feathering over her black hooves. Her neck arched into a finely curved shape as she paced throughout the corral, tail erect and nose held high as she investigated her situation.

Rex, a muscular, burly man, wearing the usual overalls and hat, now entered the corral as well, a coiled rope bridle in hand and a saddle hung over his arm. He eyed the spirited mare with a hint of distaste, and then proceeded to approach with the rope held up for everyone to see.

Epona stopped trotting and stood her ground, eyes bright and looking at Rex anxiously. To the surprise of all, she remained stoic as Rex walked up to her. With the saddle he carried, he fastened the cinch and fixed the bridle over the mare's face.

As Rex mounted up, Link held his breath, bracing himself for an explosion of bucks and kicks, but he let it out again when the mare still stood motionless. _As long as Rex behaves himself, so will Epona,_ he thought hopefully.

When he was properly seated in the saddle, Rex rapped Epona's sides with his heels, sending her off at a choppy lope. He was not a skilled rider; he had not the soft hands and firm voice of one. Instead, he had a loud, coarse voice and an unkind nature, along with an egotistical mind-set.

The mare's nostrils flared, suspicious of this rough riding man. Rex decided she was going too fast, and tugged on the reins to try and slow her down.

Link could easily have told him that pulling on the reins will make a horse want to resist you. But since he was not only forbidden to interfere, but too far away to speak up, he was silent, but his feeling of dread intensified as the fiasco continued.

Epona snorted, now thoroughly irritated, and ignored Rex's pleas for her to halt. She ducked her head down, blowing the dirt on the ground as she did so, and that was when Rex lost all control of her. He took to grabbing her mane for dear life.

Link could hardly bear to watch. He glared at the others around him who were murmuring amusedly to one another, and for a moment considered leaving the corral to seek solitude, until the climax of this display took place.

Losing her patience entirely, Epona slid back on her hocks and stopped, sending Rex flying over her neck and to the ground, landing on his face first.

Now Link wasted no time. Without hesitation he jumped over the post-rail fence and dashed to Epona's side, taking her head close and talking to her softly. The mare's mouth was foaming with saliva, and to Link's fury, her sides were spotted with red patches of blood where Rex had kicked her.

_Damn Rex and his spurs!_ Link thought angrily to himself. Paying no attention to Rex, he quickly led Epona away, heading toward the barn and intending to nurse the mare's wounds. Before he reached the safety of the barn, he heard Rex shout after them, "There's gonna be hell to pay for the both of you!"

* * *

A few hours passed, and Link had already cleaned up the horse and put her away in her stall for the night, and now he had taken refuge in his own living place; a tiny loft above the barn, kept especially for each of the five stable hands. A ladder led up to the room, which had only a woven rug covering the floor and a mattress for sleeping, and a wooden nightstand. This was what Link considered home, small as it was. 

At the moment he sat up against the rafters, legs crossed and gazing absentmindedly at something in his hands. It was a medal, bronze in make and perfectly sculpted in a round shape, although the most interesting feature was the detailed head of a horse on the face of the medal. A soft, but evident glow emanated from this object, giving the burnt orange hue of the medal a shining copper radiance.

This medal was something Link kept in his possession at all times, for two reasons. One, because it was likely to be a magical object, although he did not know a thing about its origin. Two, because it was a gift to him from his father.

_It opens old wounds…_ Link closed his eyes, recognizing the dull throb of his heartbeat. The very concept of his father seemed hazy, like a distant daydream. As did the rest of his family members, the ones he grew up with, anyway. All of them were either dead or disappeared.

Except…for one. His brother, who had become as Link's father had; a hazy memory. The last remnants of his existence revolved through Link's head for the first time in ages.

_"Please don't make this any harder than it already is, Link-"_

"_You can't just leave! What if I need you?"_

"_You don't need me anymore. Soon you won't need anyone's help anymore."_

"_So that's all you have to say?"_

"_I can't tell you everything. Live, and learn for yourself. That is exactly what I must do."_

"_When will you return?"_

"_I don't know."_

"_Will you ever return?"_

"…_I don't know."_

The sound of footsteps from down in the barn drew Link from his reverie; he slipped the horse-head medal underneath the blanket on his bed to hide the glow.

Rex's voice carried well from down the ladder. "Don't worry yourself, boy, I haven't put down that mare, yet."

Link was silent; he was not afraid of Rex, but even so, he knew it would not pay to be on his wrong side by protesting. Instead he was careful not to make a sound.

"She's valuable, for sure, but so far that mare has been more trouble than she's worth," Rex continued. "A shot in the dark, at best. Yet, from what my stable hands have told me, Epona has been ridden every night while the sky is too dark to see. Is this true?"

_He found out. Now what?_ Link nearly opened his mouth to argue his innocence, but he managed to keep quiet for a minute longer.

"I don't plan on firing you for that, even though you probably deserve it," said Rex. "Because otherwise, the mare could have caused great deal more damage today than she did."

_You're telling me,_ Link thought irritably.

"That's what I pay you for, after all."

Link nearly laughed. _You hardly pay me at all. Epona is the only reason I have stayed at this job. Get to your point, already._

"Anyway, I'm going to sell her while I can still make a profit of her. Let me know if you plan on giving an offer."

Rex's voice faded away and his footsteps did also, leaving the barn downstairs utterly quiet.

Link started with excitement. _He's actually offering to sell Epona to me? _He stood up and then kneeled beside his nightstand, pulling out the drawer, and then he extracted a leather pouch bulging with the weight of rupees. He emptied the pouch's contents on the top of the nightstand, and then proceeded to carefully count each green, blue, and yellow gem that were now spread over the desk.

"Two hundred…and fifty," he muttered to himself as he finished counting. "Not even a bargainer's price." He groaned, and pushed the rupees away. _Epona must be worth hundreds of rupees._

He gathered up the money and slid it back safely into the leather pouch, tying it and putting it back to its place inside the drawer. _I'll make the offer anyway. Perhaps it'll be worth my while._ Now he felt tired, and he decided to go to bed shortly.

Still, a terrible sadness welled up inside of him as he yanked off his boots and climbed onto his mattress. The likelihood of buying Epona was not very promising, and if his meager amount of money was not enough, he would soon have to face the prospect of saying goodbye to the only friend he had.

* * *

The irascible clamor of the crowing rooster was what Link awoke to the next morning. The sound, though a familiar wake-up call, was exhaustingly repetitive; he cringed at the noise and turned over in bed, thinking unhappily, _Just a few more hours…_ He felt so warm and comfortable in bed, he was sure he would sleep for days if he could. He lingered for about ten minutes, starting to doze off again. Normally he would wake up early to his job, since the earlier he started, the more time he could set aside to be with his horse. Especially since now, time with Epona had become precious to him, for any day now she would be sold. 

This was precisely why Link felt no desire to leave his room. All he had to look forward to that day was difficult, mind-numbing work, along with Rex and his usual barking orders.The very thought made Link's head ache terribly.

His eyes shot open. Conscious of the fact that he probably slept in later than he should have, Link quickly sat up and stretched. He reached for his clothes; a clean but worn white shirt to wear underneath a forest green tunic, along with a roughly stitched pair of pants. He dressed hastily, and then pulled on his dependable pair of leather boots. Before he was ready to go, he noticed he had forgotten his hat. He swept the floppy green cap from his drawer and pulled it over his head, satisfied.

Now that he was up and dressed, Link felt slightly more prepared to face the day. He noticed that his medal had fallen from its place beneath the covers of his bed and onto the dusty wooden floor. He picked it up; brushing away the dust and stealing a fleeting glance at the beautifully carved horse head before it disappeared into his pocket.

Just as Link touched ground while climbing down the ladder, he was startled to see an oddly dressed man standing expectantly by the barn entrance. Every moment or so he looked across the aisle and scratched his chin, as if waiting for somebody. Whether it was his unblemished royal blue clothing or sheet of chain mail visible from the edges of his sleeves and waist, or perhaps his perfectly combed hair or his authoritarian posture, the man clashed greatly with all others around him. A particularly unusual facet about him was the Hyrulean Coat of Arms displayed prominently on the front of his helmet; the Sacred Triforce beheld above the wings of a red eagle.

It took him a few seconds, but Link finally concluded that this man must have come from Scutum, the nation's capital. The man suddenly looked his way.

"Pardon me, good sir, but I am in search of one named Link. Would you be able to tell me his whereabouts?"

"That… would be me," Link answered him. He was now very curious about this noble from Hyrule's southernmost city, and he wondered what the man would say to him.

"Ah! A pleasure to make your acquaintance, good sir!" The man inclined his head. "My king has sent me here as messenger, to find one with your title, and request for you to journey to the city of Scutum at once!"

Link raised an eyebrow, intrigued. He speculated probable reasons for this sudden occurrence. "I was not aware that the King knows who I am," he said.

"Oh yes. He was advised by one of his consultants that you held the secret to a problem that has vexed us for a long time. I implore you to visit our proud city and present yourself to his Majesty." The messenger finished his query with a pause as he awaited a response.

"What exactly does the King want from me?" Link asked.

"Assistance, I believe, with matters a soldier such as myself would not have an inkling of what about," replied the messenger. "His Majesty explained nothing specific, however, he likely will upon your arrival. Please; will you give me word of your coming so that the King is informed?"

Link hesitated, for he was still questioning the legitimacy of this unexpected summons. _What noble matter could possibly involve me? _After a short moment of thinking, he nodded. "Yes. Tell the King I will be there."

The messenger looked pleased, and bowed his head again. "The house of his Majesty will be greatly honored. Now I must depart; I look forward to meeting you again in the grand city!" He turned and left the barn, boot spurs jingling as he walked, and moved toward his own brown coated horse tied up by the corral, and disappeared from view.

_Scutum…that is many miles from here,_ Link contemplated. _A day away, at most, if riding a horse. Which I don't have. _He fumed silently. _If only Epona were mine…this may be our only chance to leave this place. If the King of Hyrule has asked me to stay in Scutum…yes, this is my chance!_ His chance had come to start something new in his life.

All Link had to do now was make his offer for the horse and hope for the very best.

* * *

Rex ogled the small leather pouch with clear disdain and said, "Nothing doing, kid. Two hundred and fifty won't even cover half. Besides, I've already decided to send the mare for her breaking in." 

"What?" exclaimed Link, confounded. "She's already gone?!"

"No." Rex gestured lazily toward the barn. "She's still in there. I have a trader offering two thousand rupees for the mare. He'll be taking her and a few others away tomorrow."

_Two thousand…_ Link's heart sank. _How could I compete with that?_ He glared at the smirk on Rex's face and realized that the price had been fixed all along.

"You were never going to sell Epona to me, were you?" Link said hatefully.

Rex shrugged. "I never figured that you would afford that mare, anyway. But don't fret; she will go to a worthy knight somewhere in the country, fight as a warhorse in battles, hostilities and the like, and if she lives through another five years of that, she will live safely in the stables of the Royal Family."

"You never cared for her!" Link yelled fiercely. "You cannot just send her away to war to get killed!"

There was no sympathy to be seen on Rex's stony countenance. Instead, he crossed his arms authoritatively. "What's done is done. This conversation is over. Go back to work."

He stood there, waiting for Link to follow through with his order. Link did nothing, except cast him a gaze of sheer loathing. He had clenched his fists in suppressed anger, making an effort not to lose his temper.

"Did you hear what I said, boy?"

Link still did not respond. Rex merely shook his head and turned away, muttering, "You're on thin ice, kid."

Link had subconsciously decided his future course of action. He had, without realizing it, made a plan so reckless, so thoughtless and irresponsible, it seemed to be his only option. Completely forgetting about the rest of his duties for that day, he slowly retreated toward the shelter of the barn loft. Before climbing the ladder, he glanced down the aisle at Epona's head extending from her stall window, ears turned toward him with interest.

_Don't worry,_ he mentally told the horse. _Tonight will be the last we see of this village._

* * *


	2. Rags and Royalty

**Chapter 2- Rags and Royalty**

Link stepped lightly as he checked the sky outside; it was dark and glittering with stars. The moon was full and particularly luminous tonight. He returned to his bedside nightstand and picked up a cloth rucksack he had prepared hours before, filled with the few possessions he had, including his bronze horse-head medal, a hunting knife, his leather pouch wallet with rupees, and a shiny red apple he was saving for Epona. He also kept a few hard tack biscuits in there to sustain his hunger until he reached the city. Before slinging the pack over his shoulder, he withdrew one of these biscuits to eat now. He had forgotten to eat dinner earlier, since his anticipation of the journey was ever mounting, and he could hardly think of another thing.

Chewing quietly, he crept down the ladder with his now full pack and touched ground without making a sound. Silvery moonlight bathed the barn aisle where the door swayed open, giving everything inside a pure emergence of the night. Link approached the gate to Epona's stall and unlocked the bolt. As soon as she awoke to see her visitor, the mare nickered warmly, brown eyes half closed, then drooped her head sleepily. Link patted her, then briefly stepped outside to find her proper tack.

He lifted up the usual saddle he rode her with, a light one with wide metal stirrups, until he thought twice. Since he was going to be riding for lengthy hours of the day, he figured it would pay to equip heavier tack capable of carrying other things besides the rider. He abandoned this saddle and chose another, this one older and more weathered, but in good shape all the same. To this he hitched a tight knot holding his rucksack evenly over the back, covering it with a blanket he planned to use for sleeping.

Epona's ears twitched with irritation when Link returned to interrupt her slumber again, yet she stood still as he quickly attached the cinch and fitted the burden on her back. Next came her bridle, and when that was secure he led her out of the stall, cringing when her hooves clacked against the bricks.

The noise Epona made by simply walking over the brick walkway may have been loud enough to attract unwanted attention, but luckily, there was nobody around to hear it. Once they were outside by the corral, Link mounted up from the ground, and then gathering the reins, clucked to his horse. They went off at a lope, leaving the white-painted stables of Rex Keas behind, and after twenty minutes of stealthy riding, they crossed the wide planked bridge that loomed over the Green River. The pass that led between the hills was a long one, so he would ride for another ten minutes before setting his eyes upon Agrelonge.

The land that stretched far and beyond this little village was vast, rich, and varied in landscape. This region was mostly flat except for small bumps and sloping hills, and dotted randomly with aspen trees. For miles and miles after, the land sloped downward and stretched on to become an endless prairie, a sea of green and yellow grasses as far as the naked eye could discern. The night sky was dappled with stars, tiny specks of light pulsating and glistening with clarity not easily seen within the village.

For the next hour and a half, Link let Epona walk along the dirt path through the sparse wood while he absorbed the detail around him; the thrill of finally leaving routine and discovering new places was finally setting in. The reality of what crime he just committed in his village did not seem to matter at the moment. For now he let the stimulation lead him on, observing everything from the diverse flora to the small critters roaming around. He spotted many animals not normally seen in Green River Village; badgers, coyotes, mule deer, and Link even caught a glimpse of a lone bobcat lurking through the shadows.

He almost lost track of time watching this entire novelty stimulus. The moon eventually dipped behind them and disappeared as dawn crept over Hyrule. Link realized how drowsy he was, and once he noted how many times Epona stopped in her tracks and looked around at him pitifully, he relented and swung out of the saddle.

He undid the saddle and let it fall to the ground, although he caught the pack just in time. He led Epona to a nearby tree and tied her reins to the bough, giving her enough room to graze. Then he took the blanket he brought and spread it down on the ground close to his horse, pushing aside some pebbles and twigs to make space. As he lay back, he felt the ground harden against his back.

Link groaned at the discomfort, but he ignored it as he turned over to try and sleep. However, he would be kept awake by the incessant chirping of crickets until the sun nearly came up.

* * *

It was nearly midday, and the sky was a sheer azure blue with not a cloud to be seen. A mildly cool breeze ruffled the long grasses of southern Agrelonge, resembling waves in an infinite golden ocean, which abruptly ended at the base of a tall white wall lined with turrets. A large rectangular drawbridge was raised between two petite towers, though from a long distance it only appeared to be a square hole in the wall. If one looked closely enough, one could see the tall, pointed crown of a castle. This was merely the façade of a grand city, Scutum, home of the King.

Sitting atop his horse, Link viewed the countryside from the crest of a hill, silently awed by the absolute enormity of the land. He had spent his last twenty years of life sheltered in a diminutive valley, never setting eyes on anything different, beautiful, or extraordinary besides the small everyday things. When he had awoken earlier, the fact that he had stolen Epona and fled his home had hit him with the force of a blunt hammer, and he became so fretted with anxiety and guilt that he nearly turned around to run home. Link realized that he could not go back after the trouble he was already in. The summons he received became his motive to continue the journey.

Now his nerves had calmed down, and the immense beauty of Hyrule filled him with peaceful contentment. Though still uneasy, he decided that he would not return to Green River Village after this journey. _This could be the beginning of a whole new life,_ Link thought hopefully. _Perhaps I can make my living in Scutum. If not there, somewhere else._ While contemplating these fascinating new ideas, he urged Epona into a trot and descended down the hill, using the great white wall as his destination.

* * *

"Sorry, kid. I cannot allow you access to the city unless I have proof of your summons," the guard said sternly.

"Please," Link entreated him. "I wasn't given anything as proof. Would you just let me pass?"

"No can do, kid."

Link glared at the royal-blue garbed soldier, trying to contain his own temper. After hours of riding, he had finally reached the city wall, but the guard refused to open the drawbridge he was keeping watch by. Now the day was growing late; the sky was hinted orange and the sun was leaning westward, and Link feared that he was too late in his arrival. He disliked this soldier; besides the identical royal uniform and chain mail vest, he was completely different from the messenger Link had met the day before. This soldier's eyes were hard and accusing, and he seemed to condemn someone with merely a glance. On the whole, the man came off as conceited.

He grinned haughtily at Link. "I apologize, young man, but I find it hard to believe that a boy such as yourself was sent for by his Majesty _himself._ Did you honestly think that the noble Scutum was open to the public? That we merely step back and allow simple folk such as yourself to see the King?"

Link gritted his teeth and looked away, embarrassed. He hated the soldier's referring to him as a _boy._ He had heard the unappealing nickname dozens of times throughout his life, mostly from Rex. He did not feel the desire to hear it anymore. Without a ready retort, he reached into his tunic pocket and withdrew his pouch wallet. He then tossed a yellow rupee to the guard.

The man caught it, eying it with interest, then replied. "Tell you what. Give me two more of these, and I'll let you pass."

Sighing, Link tossed two more yellow gems to the man. With a nod of thanks, the soldier craned his neck around to the tower guard above. "Lower the bridge, Trevor!" he shouted.

The chains clicked as the wooden drawbridge came down, creating a dull _thud_ as it struck the embankment. The guard then retreated from his stance and raised his hand as a signal to continue.

Link grunted with annoyance and led Epona behind him as they crossed the bridge, not looking at the guard as they passed. Although he was thankful that the bribe had worked, he found it odd that the soldier had even accepted it. For royal guards, loyalty should have been the most essential trait, but this man had taken money freely from a stranger. _Obviously, there are some hidden issues in this city that I don't know of,_ reflected Link. _Nothing out of the ordinary, I suppose._

The city of Scutum was a solid paved jungle; box-like buildings were bunched together in rows, separated by narrow cobblestone streets that ran in two ways of traffic. There was very little vegetation, save for the occasional little shrub that had sprouted from a crack in the pavement. Crowds of people rushed past one another, carrying possessions, loads, and even cages with small animals. Others pulled along stubborn donkeys or drove wagons dragged by oxen. Everybody was in a hurry; why, Link could not tell. He carefully walked through with Epona, the mare becoming so excited by the activity that she could hardly stay still.

As he walked along, Link could not help but notice the looks of the citizens. He had somewhat been expecting to encounter wealthy nobles throughout the city, but these people were poorer than he. Their clothes were tattered, stained with dirt and grime, and only a few of them were wearing shoes. The garments themselves were nothing but torn russet tunics over white flax undershirts, and for the few who were wearing shoes, leather sandals on their feet. Yet, it was not the clothes that gave the biggest impact. The critical, defiant stares from these people's faces lingered in Link's mind like an awful memory, making him feel guilty for some reason, as if their worries were his fault. Even the children looked at him reproachfully as he sauntered by.

This was only the first province of the city. The streets wound around buildings like snakes, forming a complex maze of sorts. Link found that he was able to use the distant castle tower's shape to guide him through the city, while keeping to the edges of the road to avoid being trampled by the frenzied traffic. He always focused his gaze forward, feeling distinctly awkward in the eyes of these many citizens. It may have been his imagination, but after countless minutes of trekking, he was positive that every person he passed by had stopped to look at him. Link never slowed his stride and never looked anybody in the eye, nervous that people were so interested in his presence.

At last, the castle unveiled itself. An enceinte barrier fortified the inner courtyard, one that was taller and stronger than the one surrounding the city, its only weak spot being the portcullis out front. The castle itself was Gothic in style and built like a fortress; its walls were thick and constructed perfectly of gray stone. There was a flurry of movement from behind the castle's battlement when Link came closer, along with a distant and indiscernible shout from one of the guards. The soldier, followed closely by two others, hurried to block him from the gateway.

"Your business?" the guard demanded.

"I have been summoned by the King," Link explained. He coughed under his breath, knowing his answer sounded absurd. By his perception of these men, he doubted that they would be swayed so easily with money as was the guard at the front of the city.

To his surprise, the three soldiers exchanged curious glances at one another, until the main guard spoke again. "Your name is Link, yes?"

Link nodded. _Again, strangers know me by name,_ he thought wildly to himself. _I am eager to know what I have done to earn the attention of the King himself!_

The guard jerked his head toward the soldiers behind him. The two men left his side and rushed toward the enceinte wall. "His Majesty ordered us to memorize your name," said the guard. "Normally we would not allow you access to the castle, but if you are the one whom my King sent for, then please enter. I know not the reason, but you are needed before His Majesty's throne."

The metal-barred gate shuddered and rose from the ground, sending away a wispy cloud of dust. The guard turned and raised his hand to the others lining the top of the wall. "Let the visitor pass without harm," he hollered. To Link, he said, "I can escort your horse to the royal stables. You can trust in the grooms to care for her well."

"Thank you," said Link, hesitantly handing Epona's reins over to the guard. "Be careful; she can be a handful."

At the guard's leave, Link strode forward through the archway and into the courtyard, a great expanse of emerald green grass. He walked slowly, admiring the beautiful architecture around him, before coming to meet the line of seven soldiers guarding the oak doors to the castle. The soldiers rushed from their places to surround Link, one of them stating clearly, "Stand here, son, and let His Majesty approach."

Link stood still, eying the surrounding guards tensely. He instinctively braced his arms against his sides, preparing for the unlikely case of assault, though he let his hands stay open to ward off any suspicion of hostility.

After what felt like an eternity, the oak doors groaned and parted, opening up to the very foyer of the castle. From the watchful circle of the soldiers, Link beheld the King of Hyrule.

The King was of stocky build and formidable height. His hazel eyes were nearly hidden beneath thick eyebrows, and his hair was dark brown and cut shaggily to a length below his chin. His face was slightly squared with a sturdy set jaw and thin mouth, braced anxiously in anticipation.

Link straightened his posture and swallowed nervously. _Is this real? I'm standing before the eyes of one from the Royal Family!_ His heart pounded painfully in his ears, and he awkwardly took a short bow of his head as the king descended the castle steps.

"Presenting my liege, King Edward II, High and Powerful Lord of Hyrule!" The voice exclaiming the title sounded rather hoarse, as if he repeated this very sentence often.

Not even daring to look up, Link kept his head bowed as King Edward stood in front of him. When many tense moments of silence had passed, he heard the king speak.

"You may rise, Link, commoner of Green River," he said.

Link elevated himself to normal height, and for the first time, looked the king squarely in the eye.

"I commend your fortitude, young Link, for traveling this far on behalf of your lord. I welcome you to stay in my castle as a guest, for as long as you wish."

The king scrutinized him with uncanny intelligence, and such nobility that Link could not help but be humbled by this man. He said carefully, "May I ask of the purpose my coming has served, my liege?"

"Ah, yes," said King Edward. "To answer that question, I believe I shall require the help of my young apprentice." He clapped his hands together once, and two soldiers from behind rushed to reopen the oak castle doors. "Come, if you will enter the castle, I shall introduce you to somebody important."

After a quick glance to each of the guards, Link walked after the king and through the high archway, which led into the very first hall of the castle.

The first thing that Link tended to notice about a room was the ceiling. He marveled at the impressive height that towered over him as he stepped inside, making the hallway seem like somewhat of an empty space. There were twin staircases facing one another, placed across from the front doors and against the wall. If one looked above these staircases, he would see an open second floor embracing the walls, along with two smaller doors and another set of stairs, this one winding like a serpent to the top of another story.

King Edward walked casually toward the twin staircases and motioned to another guard walking by. "Send word for my apprentice to come down here immediately."

As the guard hastened up the stairs, Link wondered how far up the man would have to climb, and pitied him a little before the king spoke again.

"I understand that it must be discomfited to you, spending the next few nights in a strange place, but my apprentice is not much older than you are, and he may be…familiar to you." He looked deep in thought. "You see, he has been here for about three years, training as a warrior as well as becoming educated. He has excelled in political science as well as the basic skills of sorcery. In fact, when urgent matters recently came to my attention, it was he who insisted for me to send your summons. He truly thinks that you will be of some aid to these matters."

Becoming more bewildered by the moment, Link asked, "What kind of matters have I come to solve?"

Edward flashed a smile, revealing perfectly straight, white teeth. "I'm afraid that the finer details are not appropriate for me to explain," he said tactfully. "But I will answer a limited number of your questions, in due time."

Just then, the guard from before reappeared, followed by another man at his heels.

Link immediately noticed that this man looked a lot like him, save for a few notable differences. He was nearly a head taller and his face was thicker and more powerfully built. He had a mass of willowy brown hair that was slightly unkempt at a length around his ears. His lowered, bushy eyebrows contributed to his rather wide forehead, and his eyes were a reflective hazel. He was garbed in a finely made black cloak, which surrounded his dark brown broached tunic. At the moment, his eyes met with Link's and he was silent for a long time, with his brows arched and his mouth thin and closed.

The King spoke again. "This is my apprentice, Malus. Malus, this is Link."

"I know who he is," the man said quickly, perhaps even rudely. His eyes were wide and intense. Link returned his gaze with the same frequency, feeling his heart hammer against his chest.

Edward noticed this odd statement and indifferently said, "Now that we are all acquainted, we may proceed to the dining hall for lunch." Malus followed him up the stairs and subtly motioned for Link to do the same. For the entire climb upstairs to the alleged dining hall, nobody spoke another word, although the two young men continued scrutinizing one another.

The dining hall was certainly one of epic proportions. Just the table itself was long enough to seat fifty people on either side, in red mahogany chairs that matched the table. The table surface had been polished to where Link could see his reflection in the glazed wood. King Edward led him and Malus to the very end of the room. A smaller table, set completely apart from the larger one, was waiting for them, with four chairs. Respectively, there were four place settings, with some of the finest looking china Link had ever laid eyes on, along with four silver utensils on either side of the plate.

"Please, sit," said King Edward with a wave of his hand. Link paused, unsure of which chair to take, when Malus wordlessly pointed to the closest one on his left. He then seated himself on the one on the right.

Link seated himself as well. He noticed that the chair beside the king was empty, although he dared not ask any questions. _I had not been expecting a formal meal,_ he lamented. _Now what do I do to keep from humiliating myself?_ He cast a beseeching look at Malus, who merely closed his eyes and nodded.

Just then, the one for which the fourth chair was set entered the room. She was a young woman, no older than eighteen. She was definitely one of the nobles; her shining golden hair was pulled back in an elaborate braid, and she was garbed in a lovely white silk frock adorned with short gold sleeves. The woman gave a small curtsy as she entered, and she lowered herself into the chair beside the King.

"Welcome, my daughter," said Edward. "Gentlemen, I humbly introduce my daughter, Zelda."

Malus inclined his head respectfully, and Link quickly did the same. He noticed, upon lifting his gaze again, Zelda's ears were long and pointed, like an elf's. _Like mine…_ Link mused. _If there was ever a concurrence like that._ He felt distinctly out of place, sitting in the gazes of the King of Hyrule and the Princess, along with a strange gentleman. All Link could do was display a pleasant smile while avoiding the eyes of the nobles.

The luncheon was composed of three light courses. First was the salad; a collection of crisp greens and vegetables tossed with a delectable dressing. The bowl was passed around for each individual to serve himself or herself. Link only scooped a small amount on his plate. He could not predict how the food would taste, and he decided it would be more polite to leave the room hungry than to waste food. He looked down at the row of utensils before him and his eyes widened slightly. _There are three different forks here…_

He heard a cough to his right. He glanced curiously up at Malus. The man held up a tiny silver fork from his own setting, and gave a brisk nod. Link picked up the identical one from his row and mouthed silent thanks.

In the most faint whisper, Malus spoke to him for the first time. "Start on the outside, and work your way in." Link was surprised by how deep his voice was.

It was not until the meat course had been served when the root of conversation had been planted. King Edward began with praise of his daughter, Zelda. "She is the heir to the kingdom, as I'm sure you know," he said, addressing Link. "Yes, by her twentieth birthday, she shall rule, as long as she is married, of course."

Princess Zelda shifted uncomfortably in her seat, taking a sip from her goblet. Her delicate features had remained unchanged throughout the meal, and she had not said a word to anyone. Link felt the impression that she deeply wished to be elsewhere.

"Now, Link, where do you hail from?" the King asked.

Swallowing a bite of pork, Link replied, "Green River Village…er, Your Majesty."

"Oh yes? My apprentice was raised there, weren't you, Malus?"

The man nodded hesitantly and said nothing, casting a furtive glance at Link.

"You're too quiet, Malus! Why don't you tell us how you are familiar with Link?" the King queried.

Link had been wondering the same thing himself. He could not explain why the man kept glaring at him strangely, nor could he explain why he was returning the looks right back. For some reason, he knew he had seen that face before, only the time and place escaped him. The name too… the name was so familiar, but he could no longer recall the significance of it.

Malus shrugged. "It would be quite a long story to tell, my lord, and I would rather not bore you and the Princess with ancient history."

_Ancient history?_ Link thought to himself. _It must be ancient history if even I can't remember! Who _is_ this person?_ He caught Malus's eye and his heart skipped a beat. He remembered.

Malus sensed his recognition, and for the sake of table manners both men consented not to show it. They continued eating calmly, however Link kept stealing glances at the other man, blood pounding dully in his ears. _Now it seems so obvious…_

King Edward remained ignorant of the exchange. "Well, if you prefer to be subtle, I will not press you."

The meal went on as if nothing had happened, however, the fact that both Link and Malus were eying each other oddly had weighted the atmosphere. Link only spoke when addressed directly, and shyly lowered his eyes on the tablecloth in front of his plate. He followed Malus's advice and used his utensils on the outside first and worked his way in. Though he knew very little about formal etiquette, he figured it was impolite to leave any food uneaten. When the server came to collect the plates, his was completely clear.

Lunch was now over. King Edward stood up when everyone had finished. "Now Link, I have a room accommodated for you in the west wing of the castle. Malus will show you where it is, since his is nearby. You are welcome to explore the castle grounds, although I must ask that you steer clear of the north tower, since that is where our personal chambers are located. You may visit the city as well, but make sure you are inside the castle by seven o' clock, as the guards lock up the gates by that time. Ask Malus any questions you have."

Link bowed his head. "Thank you…your Highness."

King Edward turned to see Princess Zelda sidestepping toward the door. "Dear daughter, will you really be so uncivilized to leave our guests without a salutation?"

The Princess recessed, with an almost pleading look toward her father. Then she curtly acknowledged the two men. "I am deeply sorry," she said. "Thank you, gentlemen, for sharing this meal with us, and I bid you a good day." When the king looked satisfied, Zelda strode toward the nearest door and exited the hall.

* * *

Malus was jogging just ahead of Link on their way up the stairs. They headed to the west wing, which was a smaller based section of the castle looking just like the east wing. Link's feet were becoming sore from climbing the stairs, but he hardly noticed. Breaking the awkward silence, he said, "So you summoned me, didn't you?"

"Suggested it," corrected Malus. His growling voice was bland, without expression. "I will admit; when I heard you were actually coming, it seemed to be merely a fleeting possibility. But, now as I see you in person…you have grown up."

"So have you."

They arrived at what seemed like the fourth flight of stairs and continued without even a moment's rest. "I owe you an explanation, of course," said Malus.

"Yes, you do."

"Do you still feel anger, Link?"

"I don't know."

When they overcame this last set of stairs, a long narrow hallway stretched before them. The walls were painted a simple white, while the occasional door sported a royal blue. The layout seemed almost like an inn, though larger and more exquisitely decorated.

"I was rather impressed at lunch," said Malus, breaking into a different subject. "You managed to express good manners without working yourself into a lather. That's more than I could do my first day here."

"It sounds like an interesting story to hear," Link responded.

At last, Malus stopped in front of a set of double doors. "Here is where you shall stay," he said, pushing open the door. Link took a look inside the room and failed to suppress his incredulity. It was larger than any bedroom he had in Green River, possibly larger than a house. The beige colored walls were brightened by sunlight streaming through the open window. There was a rectangular bed resting against the wall, with an elegantly carved wood frame. Other furniture in the room included a round mirror, a cushioned armchair in the corner, and a nightstand with a single drawer, and a cherry armoire standing venerably opposite the bed.

"I apologize for the meager accommodations," said Malus, ushering him in.

Link could not tell whether he was being sarcastic or not. He admired the room from every angle, and gazed out the window with a view of the courtyard. He breathed, "It's wonderful, thank you."

With a casual shrug, Malus began to retreat back to the door. "Well, I won't hang around any longer," he said. "Let me know if you need anything. Oh, and be back in the dining hall by eight o' clock tonight for dinner."

"I will."

"And…do you want to meet me in the library later? I'll tell you what you want to know."

"Sure."

With a final passing glance, Malus departed. Link looked after him in the hall and gave a small wave to his older brother.


	3. The Magician's Book

**Chapter 3- The Magician's Book**

Link found solitude in one of Scutum's narrow streets. The day had become gray earlier, and when it started raining, he took shelter beneath an awning that faced the town square. It was dusk, and the hurried citizens had diminished in numbers until there were naught but a few who remained. Light droplets of water sprinkled down and spotted the pavement. A miniature lake had formed near a storm gutter until it nearly flooded the street. Those who were still outside barely noticed, and romped through it with no concern of getting wet.

As he watched the sky darken, Link's thoughts mingled toward the conversation he and Malus had that day. It was a one-sided banter, really; after Link asked one terse question, Malus gave him the long-winded explanation he had promised.

His words:

_Link, you have every right to feel resentment toward me, even after all these years. I left you to live by yourself three years ago because, well, I wanted to leave Green River more than anything. Ever since Mother and Father died, I grew to hate that village. It was filled with memories, with sadness, and it never seemed to go away. With every glance toward our old house, I saw the broken glass that framed the window that night. I could see the shed on fire, the soot blackening the lawn, and the flash of a Bombling exploding inside the house. Worse, I heard you pounding at the wall with your fists, moaning for Mother to open her eyes._

_And the old Hylian Shield that Father left behind, the one he always took with him to battle for good luck, it was the only object rescued from the ashes. When I asked you what it was doing there, why Father had not taken it with him, you admitted to stealing it. I asked you why. You told me you took it hoping that Father would not leave for war, that he would stay home and look for it. But you were mistaken; he left for the battle, without his lucky shield. A month after that, the news came to us that he had died at the hands of the Gerudian forces, in a way that could not even allow a proper burial. _

_From that year forth, it was only the two of us living in that house. When the repairs were made, we found another place to live in the village stable, having no desire to return to our old life._

_You changed, Link. From a promising young boy you developed into the sulking, quiet adolescent I last knew. You kept that Hylian Shield for years, though to your disappointment, you could find no distracting use for it. One day, exactly one year after Father had died, you took the shield and flung it through the window of our old house, vowing never to look at it again. The again broken glass was never fixed._

_When you turned seventeen, I decided to leave Green River for the first time in my life. I did not have any particular goal, but I wanted to make some sort of life for myself. You, you were too young; the last thing you needed was to be a drifter through who-knows-where. So that is why I did not take you with me, brother. That is why. _

_I started right here, in Scutum. I lived inside the city for a while, and even though it hid poverty and crime, it was a refreshing change to the labor-intensive life I led in a rural community. I became familiar with a soldier in the Royal Guard, and one day, he introduced me to King Edward. After some pulled strings, I was able to get a formal education within the castle grounds. The courses being history, politics, combat, and others, I excelled farther than anyone ever imagined. Even the King himself admired my talents, and soon I was elected to his advisory council._

_With these new privileges and a seat of power, I studied further. I delved into a brand new subject that proved to come naturally to me: sorcery. An old magician who lives in the castle started tutoring me in the infinite concepts of magic in its ever-changing forms. King Edward became so intrigued with my progress that he asked me to accept the place as his personal apprentice. I accepted._

_By now, I was twenty-five years old, and already in league with the most powerful individual in Hyrule. Did I ever think of the younger brother I left in the village? Quite often, actually. But I could find no easy way to contact you, especially now that I had taken a powerful position in the King's court. That is why I suggested your summons to the King, when he presented me with his problems. Other than wanting to see you again, I really thought you might be a great help to my liege. And so that is all I can tell on my part._

Link sighed inwardly as he watched raindrops trickling from the awning over his head. Everything Malus had told him brought back memories he thought had long been forgotten. The days he spent living in Green River after his brother's departure were dreamlike; in fact, if not for his age changing, he would have considered the time span to be no more than one surreal day. Like the kind of day one experiences when sleeping through the afternoon, or when ill and unable to remember the passing minutes.

From this blurred life, Link had hoped that the recollections of his parents' deaths would be forgotten, that the sorrow he felt would die away with those memories. And for a while, they had. Until now.

He merely gazed listlessly into the rain, watching as people retreated to their houses to escape the ugly weather. An ocarina player still sat nearby him, merrily playing his instrument without a care in the world. The airy, whistling voice of the ocarina sang happily despite the storm. When he listened to it, Link was reminded of a colorful, bustling market, contrasting with the dull stone city that surrounded him. He smiled in spite of himself, and stayed leaning against the wall for a little while longer just to listen to the music.

The older gentleman playing the ocarina casually walked by, letting the melodies fade for a moment. He stood in front of Link and said, "For what reason might you be out here in the rain? You got a place to stay dry?"

"I do," Link replied. "I was thinking about going there within the hour."

"Well, unless you like the cold, I suggest you find your place soon. Nightfall is imminent."

Link nodded. "I will. As soon as I get the incentive."

The man shrugged his bony shoulders. He rested his back against the wall beneath the awning and brought the ocarina to his lips again. This time, the melody was drawn out, more melancholy. It uncannily suited the stormy weather.

"That was the Song of Storms," said the man, pausing his playing for a moment. "Didn't you wonder why the rain came on so suddenly?"

"It was sudden," Link agreed.

"That ain't a coincidence. This here song caused the rain to fall." The man continued his playing again, the Song of Storms echoing its notes through the square.

With a chuckle, Link said, "And how is that possible?"

"Simple, mate." The man completed the last minor note and spoke again. "My ocarina houses the spirit of the Goddesses."

His smile broadening, Link decided to humor the old man. "The Goddesses, you say?"

"Aye. The Ocarina is a sacred instrument, you know. Every one of them embodies a bit of divine power. Why, haven't you ever heard of the Ocarina of Time?"

"…Possibly."

The man looked taken aback. "_Possibly?_ Boy, every child in Hyrule has heard that tale at least once!"

Link shrugged. "I did, a long time ago. Apparently, the Ocarina of Time was played by the fabled Hero of Time."

The old man nodded his head. "Indeed, it was. And the Hero of Time ain't no fable; he existed, all right. And he played this song too."

The Song of Storms resonated in Link's eardrums again. The powerful notes seemed to draw out more raw power from the rainstorm. By the time the song was nearly over, a flash of lightning lit up the sky. Three seconds were counted in silence, and then a crack of thunder boomed in the distance.

"Nature's applause," the man embellished. He brought the ocarina from his mouth and slipped it inside his pocket. "Now, are you planning on staying out here in the rain all night? It's almost seven o'clock."

Link stood up suddenly, surprised. "It is? I need to get back to the castle."

"The castle?" The old man cocked an eyebrow, intrigued. "A rather nice place to wait out a storm. Well, go on. Hurry back before the gates close."

"Will you be able to escape the rain? You have a place to live, right?"

"Ah, you _could_ call it a place to live," said the man. "It's dry and it's permanent, at the very least. Don't worry about me, boy. Just get back to the castle."

Link nodded. "I enjoyed the ocarina."

"I'm glad. Now scoot!"

At the old man ushering, Link ventured out into the rain and trudged toward the castle. On his way, he thought, _I would like to learn how to play the ocarina myself sometime. _

* * *

"It's just another set of stairs, come on." Malus looked back at his brother, who was lurching up the steps with obvious fatigue.

"What is that; a _hundred_ stories we have climbed by now?" Link panted.

Malus shrugged disdainfully. "Fifteen, actually. Living here, you'll get used to it."

Link tried his best to keep step with Malus, but the muscles in his legs were burning relentlessly, causing him to fall behind. He silently rejoiced when they reached the top of the landing. It took Link's greatest effort not to lean tiredly against the wall. "So where exactly are we going?" he asked between breaths.

"I told you; to Archimago's tower," said Malus. "He is the magician who has tutored me all these years. I have a session with him tonight, so I thought you would enjoy watching it."

"Wow, really?" Link was interested. "Will he mind?"

"Surely not," Malus assured. "We've climbed fifteen stories to get here, no? It's just a few doors down this hallway. Come."

This castle corridor was nearly as dark as the night sky outside. There were a few lit torches mounted here or there, though the shadows seemed to weigh upon the spots of light. Link brushed his hand along the wall, feeling his way through the darkness, while following the sound of Malus's footsteps to his left. It was cold up here; drafts wafted in through tiny cracks in the corners where the walls met. It seemed that castle inhabitants did not visit this particular corridor often, since it lacked quite a bit of the glamour shown throughout the rest of the interior. Link nearly expected to hear squeaking and scuttling of rats. He shivered.

Malus stopped him in front of an old, crumbling mahogany door. Even though it was dark, Link could faintly see the name _Archimago_ etched into the wood. A dull, magenta glow emanated from the crack beneath the door.

After a brief instant, Malus raised his fist and knocked.

"Enter," came a drawling croak from the other side. With a nod, Malus pushed the door open and motioned for Link to follow him inside.

Once inside with the door shut, Link felt his eyes beginning to water. The room was very stuffy, with no windows to allow heat to escape. Thick neon colored clouds filled the air he breathed, and smelled of various strong herbs and medicines. The chamber was filled with things he had thus far only seen pictures of; cauldrons stacked from largest to smallest in the corners, made of bronze, iron, and even gold. There were racks hanging on the walls, housing examples of the finest weaponry; broadswords and rapiers, gold-filigreed shields with symbols of animals on their faces. The room was piled with books in every square foot of the floor, quite literally, in fact, to the point where one could barely traverse the place. At the far end wall, there was a splintered wooden desk, and behind it, an old, skinny man sat in his chair. He was drumming his bony fingers complacently against the wood, his dry, crackled lips curling into a smug grin. Save for a ring of gray hair circling the back of his head, he was mostly bald.

A foggy pair of black eyes narrowed at Link. "I was not expecting…a visitor," he said, either to himself or to Malus.

"Master, this is Link, my younger brother," Malus said meekly. "I invited him to come observe our session."

The old man stood up, swaying a little, his stone-hard stare boring down upon the two younger men. "I was actually hoping to teach you some hidden arts this time, Malus," he said regretfully. "Secrets of sorcery that are…often forbidden to the likes of the masses. Do you really view magic as a game, Malus? Or do you simply wish to boast your accomplishments to the commoner?"

Link's eyebrows knitted. _He's insulting me openly,_ he thought irritably. He looked pointedly at his brother, who shook his head dismally.

"No, Master, that was not my intention," said Malus. "It was only a friendly gesture."

"Err…I'll leave, if you want me to," Link offered. "I don't want to intrude on anything important."

"Nay; if you climbed all fifteen stories to get here, then stay," Archimago sighed. "The lesson will be for two hours and thirty minutes, so sit, or stand, if you like. And act as though you have no presence in this room, for full concentration is essential."

Link winced at the idea of staying locked in this hot, fumy room for over two hours, but he said nothing about it. He found a broken chair standing against the wall and he sat down, folding his hands. He hoped that, at least with the magic lesson in progress, he would see some fascinating sorcery. Perhaps the time would go by quickly.

He watched intently at Malus seated himself in front of the old magician. Archimago waved his hand. "Recite the incantation for transformation."

Malus cleared his throat. "_Fire and ice, flesh and bone, meld as one to show facts unknown. Eye of beast sees through eye of man, distinguish them you never can."_

The old man nodded. "Now, show me the essence of gold."

Malus blinked, then concentrated deeply on a gold ring that was resting among the other things on the desk. With a flick of his finger, Malus produced a tiny cloud of something hovering above his outstretched hand. It was a cluster of glittering gold particles, swirling together in an elliptical shape. With another flick of his finger, the cloud evaporated. Link's eyes widened slightly at the unnatural occurrence, but kept his silence. He hoped to witness more.

"Very good." The magician's face was thus far blank. "Now, fetch me my potion flask."

Link thought it odd for the old man to stop the lesson in order to get one of his own belongings. However, he misunderstood. Malus held his hand lazily out to the side and flexed his knuckles. A tiny glass flagon zoomed past Link's head with inches to spare, and landed with ease in Malus's outstretched palm. He then set it gently on the desk.

Archimago took the flask and took a draught from the red substance inside. After wiping his mouth on the back of his hand, he muttered, "Good, Malus. I'm relieved to see that you have retained your past teachings. It's extremely important to remember your basics."

Malus merely inclined his head, frowning. Although he appeared to have accomplished his tasks with incredible ease, his face was hard and frustrated.

"Now," Archimago continued. "I want you to study these." He disappeared behind his cluttered desk for roughly one minute before emerging with an armful of books. "Start with _The Wisdom of the Gods_; it's this blue cloth-bound one. Skip the last ten chapters; they are irrelevant. Continue to _The Great Temples_, and pay close attention to Volumes 10 and 11, for they are extremely important to understand. Begin now."

Malus touched the spine of _The Wisdom of the Gods_, looking at the magician reproachfully. He looked crestfallen. With absolutely no complaint, he lifted the book cover free and started reading.

* * *

It took the very best of Link's efforts to stay mentally sane throughout the next two hours. Archimago made Malus do nothing more but study from the texts, while occasionally asking him to recite an incantation to test his remembrance. Malus answered just about every question correctly while absorbing the contents of the books, although he seemed very ill enthused. His eyes were hazy by the time he was permitted to close his books, and Link had already lost the battle he fought to keep his eyes open.

Link jolted awake, shrugging his shoulders as if awakening from a bad dream, wondering for an instant where he was. He recognized the messy chamber, although thankfully, the fumes had dissipated a little. He jumped again to see that he was alone. Malus and Archimago were nowhere to be seen.

He immediately felt foolish for falling asleep, but since he was alone for the moment Link took the time to stand up, stretching his arms and yawning. He felt several pops in his back as he stretched. He blinked a few times to clear his bleary vision.

_The Wisdom of the Gods_ and _The Great Temples_ had been stacked neatly at the head of the desk, grouped together with several other texts Malus must have read afterward. Link strode toward the desk, his gaze fleeting to the door, as if expecting his brother and Archimago to suddenly burst into the room. No such thing happened, so Link felt no guilt in satisfying his curiosity.

He picked up the book nearest to him, _The Great Temples._ He remembered Archimago's statement about Volumes 10 and 11; so naturally, he flipped to that section of the book, which happened to be on page 665. Link wiped his sweaty forehead, and proceeded to read the heading.

The Hylian Rapids: Hyrule's Last Mystery 

_All who laid eyes on its mystifying sight realized the majesty of the lake known as Hylia. There were few who could foretell the legend that would take place beneath the surface. It started with the mass piracy of merchant barges (see pg. 550 for details), during which seventy sailors became missing and thousands of rupees' worth of goods vanished without a trace. Later sailors returned to shore with crazy exclamations of a whirlpool hidden at the center of the mere. A generation past, a fishing boat washed up on the eastern shore in pieces, with the annihilated corpses of its four passengers, including its captain._

_The legend says that a long prophesized Temple of Old was hidden beneath the white crests, guarded by a torrential whirlpool. It was said that only one who could survive the driving current would be deposited into the heart of the Sacred Grounds. Alas, many lost their lives to this watery vortex, which came to be called the Eye of the Snake. Others were devoured, in secret, by a monster that swam these waters._

_It was said to own the limbs of a Kraken, grotesque features blood red in hue, in numbers up to fifty total. The last thing its victims recalled was rushing fluid and the dull, gurgling roar of the Mako._

_As none who have encountered this beast escaped unscathed, none have seen what exists below the vortex. Prophesies describe a maze of caverns that deepen with distance, and can only be traversed by means of a salty river. Whether by canoe or by one's backstroke, what may be found in the deepest part of the caverns is a mystery even to Hyrule's greatest historians._

Link's tired eyes were growing sore from reading. He closed the book and set it down, stifling a yawn with his hand. He wondered where Malus and the old sorcerer had gone. _Perhaps to practice those secret spells I'm not allowed to see,_ he thought crossly. For a moment, he considered going to look for them when another book caught his eye.

It was a thin hardcover, no more than 200 pages, but it was very old and coated with layers of dust and grime. Link gingerly picked it up with the tips of his fingers and swept away a good amount of dust to reveal the cover.

Chronicles of Murder and Death 

He was unsure why this particular cover made him curious, but then he discovered the reason. The name of the author was etched in smaller symbols in the lower right corner of the cover.

Master Archimago 

_That old man wrote books? _Link thought interestedly. He flipped the book open to a random page and began to read.

…_of any age, gender, or ethnicity. The result is a moving, thinking shell of the deceased body that can only be commanded by the murderer. The body has no need for nourishment or rest, but is subject to "death" enacted again by generic methods. Though it lacks verbal lingual skills, the body can consort with others by producing a wave of energy, or "thought," as some believe._

_The true name and definition of such a creature is the Redead; a zombie-like humanoid that can move and breathe of its own volition. Although it possesses these abilities, the Redead is completely overpowered by one person only; the one who initially took their life._

_That being said, a deceased person can only become a Redead if he or she is dead at the hands of another. Murder is dubbed sinful by the might of the Goddesses, but one who kills also earns the strength of a powerful being._

_Despite a feeble appearance, Redeads are physically very powerful. From a soldier's viewpoint, just the experience of facing these creatures can by quite terrifying. The Redeads are deadly in battle, for they need no rations and no rest at all…_

There was a loud _whap_ as Link slammed the book shut, thoroughly disturbed. _This old man is crazy! _he thought, shuddering. _He basically wrote an entire book about the perks of killing people…I wonder how many people _he's _killed?!_

He heard shuffling footsteps from outside the room. Link hastily dropped the book back on the desk where he found it and turned to face the door as it opened.

Archimago and Malus were there, as Link had expected. The old magician walked into his chamber, looking tired and sore, while Malus stood awkwardly in the doorway.

"Sorry, we left for the armory," Malus told Link. "It was merely an hour ago."

Archimago wandered over to his desk, eying Link with a strangely watchful expression, and his gaze possibly flickered toward the _**Chronicles of Murder and Death**_ that lay lopsided on its face. The old man coughed throatily. "We are finished for the night, Malus. Remember well what I have taught you. Keep it fresh in your mind. We meet again…later."

Malus bowed his head. "Thank you for your time, Master."

"Off you go."

* * *

On the way down the endless stairway, Malus and Link hardly spoke a word to one another. The older man was pale, ghostlike, and he fidgeted compulsively with his hands.

"Malus, are you all right?" Link queried, concerned.

He had half-expected to hear a pitiful "Yes, I'm fine," but Malus spoke suddenly and frightfully.

"Link, what would you do to stay alive?"

They stopped walking. Link blinked at him, baffled. "What?"

"I mean, would you do just about anything to keep yourself alive, even something terrible?"

"I…like what?" Link was completely thrown off by the way this conversation was going.

"Nothing in particular," Malus said quickly.

"Can I have an example?" Link asked him, becoming worried. "Malus, what are you talking about?"

At last, Malus shook his head and continued trekking down the steps. "You know what, forget it. You don't need to hear about it."

Link didn't argue.

* * *

"_Murder! Murder in the castle! Blood…it trickles down the stairs in fresh pools! A red sun shall rise this morn! Murder, I say! Murder!"_

Link's eyes shot open. The room was still dark around him, though colored spots danced before him because of his sudden awakening. He had been sure he was dreaming, but the terror-stricken wails echoed throughout the castle walls with the clarity of daylight. Fear overcame him as he rose from bed and set his bare feet on the floor. His heart thumped painfully against his chest as he leaned down to grab his boots. He yanked them on without bothering to tie the laces, and then jumped up and headed for the door. Being disorientated as he was, Link vaguely noticed how far he was away from there.

He quickly became lost within the castle corridors, and the darkness helped little. Flamed torches mounted on the wall were his only source of light, and many of those had long been extinguished. Link found that his only sense of direction came from the still booming cries of _"Murder! Murder!"_

With every step he took, Link's heart skipped a beat. _Who was murdered?_ he asked himself wildly. _And are they even dead? Is the killer loose in the castle?_ This idea sent shivers up his spine and caused him to jump at even the slightest trace of movement in the shadows.

He instantly thought of Malus. _No, he is fine,_ Link tried to assure himself. _Malus is fine._ Even after telling himself this, he broke out of his fast walk and into a sprint.

Running was not a smart idea; in his frenzy, he accidentally collided with another in the hallway. Before he had the chance to mutter a quick apology, he realized who it was. "Malus! You're all right!"

"Yes, fine." His brother was shaking slightly, and even in the dark he looked pale, almost sick. "Have you seen what happened for yourself?"

"No. Is someone hurt?"

"Worse, someone is dead."

Wordlessly, he motioned for Link to follow, and the two of them hurried on their way. Link was thankful that he found Malus, since otherwise he would have been hopelessly lost in the maze of corridors. And better still; his deepest fears had been annulled, for the time being. He was led up many flights of stairs, moving relentlessly at a quick run, without stopping for an interminably long time. Every wall, and every hanging, window, and curtain looked identical, but eventually they came to rest at the highest tower floor.

Link was panting and gasping for breath once he had time to stand. He bent over and rested his hands on his knees, wincing at the stitch in his side. He automatically rose when Malus spoke to him softly.

"This may be a bit of a shock."

Two men were slowly walking by, burdened by a makeshift stretcher covered with a white sheet. The shape of it resembled a human body, one that was deceased. A lifeless hand dangled off the side, red droplets fell from its stiffened fingers.

The very scene left Link short of breath. His eyes followed the body as it passed by them, avoiding the solemn faces of the two escorts.

Link turned to Malus. He was choking on his words. "Who was that?"

A sickly green tinged Malus's shadowed face. His eyes closed. "It is King Edward. He is dead."


	4. Nocturnal Sights

**Chapter 4- Nocturnal Sights **

"Dead?" Link whispered hoarsely. "But that's not…how? Why?"

"I wouldn't know!" Malus snapped. "Just follow me."

The two men descended the stairway once again, turning down a path parallel to the one taken by the body's escorts. This led them down to the main foyer, where dozens of servants and nobles alike had gathered in their nightgowns to see what the commotion was about. Malus, with the help of several other gentry explained what had happened, and soon the hall was filled with cries of despair.

A general had filed into the hall to speak with Malus privately. "Sir, I can only do what I can for tonight, but by tomorrow, half of Hyrule will know," the general said exasperatedly. "For tonight, we have to fortify the castle and keep panic to a minimum. The guards have searched the castle's every nook and cranny but we have found none to be guilty."

"Then…he has likely escaped into the night," Malus responded quickly. "Station yourselves outside the doors for the night watch. We will take care of everything else tomorrow morning. I shall meet you in the armory at dawn for orders."

"Very well, sir. One last thing; does the Princess know of her father?"

Malus shook his head. "No. She shall be notified in the morning."

The general bowed his head solemnly, casting a grave frown at Link, and then strode away toward the oak doors.

The hall was still chaotic and noisy. Most of the nobles had returned to bed, but the servants talked fearfully among themselves, wondering, praying that the killer was not still loose in the castle. When it had become too much, Malus raised his voice and shouted, "Enough! Back to your chambers, all of you!"

The ones closest to him flinched at the order, and scurried off in clusters in every direction. It took nearly ten minutes, but soon the hallway was completely devoid of activity.

The exception was a single Hyrulean guard jogging down the stairs, panting with each breath. He slid to a stop in front of the two young men, hunched over to catch his breath.

"Sir," he said between breaths. "…Sir…there's been a…another disturbance."

Malus looked like he would be sick. He swallowed hard, rubbing his temple with his thumb, and muttered, "What?"

"Apparently the killer did not stop with our lord," the guard stated, anger gleaming in his eyes. "The old master Archimago lies dead upstairs as well."

There was a moment of silence. Link glanced at both his brother and the guard, keeping himself mute for the time being. Malus stared blankly at the floor, his gaze hollow.

"Escort him away."

* * *

A deafening, gloomy chill pervaded the halls of Scutum's castle. Flurries of movement cut through the heaviness of the air as servants, guards, and keepers hurried to follow orders. It seemed, Link noticed, that the vassals followed a new voice of authority. As the deceased king's apprentice, Malus had, for the time being, taken control. It was he who commanded tighter security around the castle grounds, ordered round-the-clock watches at almost every door. He ordered for the king's chambers to be cleared out entirely. The body had long been moved, the blood sponged from the floor, though now the room was emptied of every piece off furniture, every painting removed from the wall, the royal blue drapes ripped from the window. Soon, the room housed nothing but newly revealed cracks in the walls.

Link was amazed the most by how easily the vassals answered to Malus. Malus, who as a boy never had the heart to stand up for himself, directed the men and women like a general would his soldiers, with the same air of command. Likewise, the humble vassals obeyed his words in a dignified manner, without questioning or second-guessing him. Their obedience appeared to be prompted by sheer awe of the young man. Or, perhaps even fear. The difference was not always clear.

Every servant in the castle was busy, but Link found that he was at a loss of what to do with himself. Before the king's death, he could usually catch up to Malus somewhere and play observer during normal routine activity. Now he barely saw his brother, since he was usually busy with mysterious tasks up in the highest reaches of the main tower, or overseeing the outdoor soldiers' training sessions. Even though Link understood the importance of Malus's job at the moment, he could not help but feel slightly resentful at the neglect. After all, three years had passed without his brother's company, and during that time they grew farther and farther apart until what they had became an acquaintanceship rather than a brotherhood.

For the first time since his arrival, Link fell victim to boredom. He paced up and down hallways, from upper to lower stories, watching people carry out their tasks. Once in a while, he wandered to the training grounds to the rear of the castle, watching the soldiers sword-train and practice drilling exercises. He only met up with Malus at mealtimes, and even then he usually ate alone in the dining hall. After about a week, it occurred to him that never, not since the lunch they shared upon his arrival, had he caught a glimpse of Princess Zelda.

Link finally found her one afternoon standing beside a window on the second floor. She leaned lightly on the pane, he hand barely grazing the glass. With her head tilted quizzically, she gazed out over the main courtyard. Her face was hazy, emotionless. Link looked sideways at her from where he stood at the other end of the hallway. He was curious about her; where did she retreat during the day? Was she even grieving? The Princess was so calm, so stoic all the time. If she felt any strong emotions, she was skilled at keeping them hidden.

The Princess jerked her hand back and strode away from the window, her eyes suddenly downcast and angry. Seemingly oblivious to everything else, she forcefully brushed past Link's shoulder.

"Oh," she stopped and turned toward Link. "I beg your pardon."

"It's all right…your Highness," said Link, bowing his head a few inches. "Err, Princess? May I ask you a question?"

"You may."

"Well, now that the king is gone, he will have to be succeeded. My brother seems to be unofficially taking that position for the time being. I figured since you're the princess, _you_ would be next in line."

He wondered if his statement was too bold, and he immediately regretted saying it. However, he was surprised to see the Princess give him a wide smile. It was bright, yet somehow not genuine.

"As we royal family members know, the law states that a female heir to the throne must be married, if she so wishes to rule before her twentieth birthday. That day is two years from now, I'm afraid."

"Oh," was the only reply Link could think of. "And, you believe that Malus will succeed the king?"

Princess Zelda's fake smile widened a fraction. "That will be for the courts to decide. But since they are, as it seems, subordinate, then I have no doubt that Malus will take the throne."

_My big brother…a king?_ The thought was mind-blowing. Link could think of nothing more to say at this, so he merely nodded his understanding. As the Princess turned to leave, Link spoke again. "Oh, and Princess?"

"Yes, Link?"

Startled by the informal reference, Link faltered. He cleared his throat, and said, "I am…very sorry for your loss. I hardly knew His Majesty well personally, but he was a great leader, from what I have heard."

The Princess's smile slowly faded. "The aftermath will pass, such as all things do," she said evenly. "Death is just another journey, although one would not know what lies ahead unless he plunges forward…sorry, but I really must go. Enjoy the day."

As Princess Zelda walked away, Link mentally chewed over what she said. The girl was quite wise for her tender age; anyone could see that. But Link was slightly baffled by her casual way of speaking to him. He supposed his prejudice to nobles gave him a vision of prim, stuffy aristocrats who looked down on commoners like piles of dirt.

Something Link's father told him echoed in his mind. _"One can judge another's character not by how he treats his superiors, or his equals, but how they treat their inferiors. Virtue can be found in those who uplift their fellow man rather than spit in their faces."_

Whether Link was truly inferior to anyone in that castle was something he would have to decide for himself.

* * *

_The night sky was black, the stars blotted out by a rising column of smoke. The two boys stumbled out of the burning apocalypse that was once their house, coughing and covered with burns. The younger of the two tore himself from his sibling's arms as he raced back to the door, which fanned open and released a blinding wave of heat and smoke. _

"_Link, you idiot! Come back!" yelled the older brother. He ran back into the house after the younger boy shouting with rage and fear. Just then a tiny spherical object whirled through the air and landed softly in the haystack standing to the rear of the burning house. Within seconds, the haystack and everything else within several hundred feet was ablaze, a resonating explosion rocking the earth. The house was destroyed; the ceiling had caved in and there was little hope in restoring the walls._

_Beneath all the rubble, a shard of the roof was lifted up and the two boys emerged from their temporary safety shelter, coated in soot but otherwise unharmed from the explosion. The younger boy crawled through the wreckage and called. "Mother? Where are you?"_

_The older boy limped after his brother. "Let's go back, Link…let's go to the lord's plot, he'll have a bucket brigade going…"_

"_Not without Mother!" the younger boy screamed. He climbed over smoldering piles of rubbish and he kept calling, "Mother? Mother!" only to be met with silence._

Link's eyes fluttered open sleepily. He turned over in the sheets, facing the window. There were still many hours to go before dawn…

_General Grant rode his bay stallion through the bereaved Green River Village, shaking his head mournfully at the burned houses and destroyed crops. He halted his horse and paused in the middle of the road to stare at the discarded shell of a Bombling. It was the sole surviving remnant of the skirmish that had tragically been landed, unintentionally, within the walls of a once-protected village. Worse was how many the General knew died in this skirmish, both within the army and without…_

_Two young boys the General was familiar with came trotting up to him, stopping a polite distance from him and his horse. The older one saluted. The younger just stared._

"_Good day, Malus. Link." The General inclined his head as a standard greeting. The two boys returned the gesture._

_The older boy spoke first. "Sir, we don't know what to do. Father has not returned with the other soldiers…"_

"_Where is he?!" the younger boy demanded._

_The General hesitated. He knew where the boys' father was, what had happened to him. He had witnessed the event himself, an event so tragic he had not the heart to explain it to the two boys. He had spent over twenty years in the army, and this was likely the hardest thing he ever had to do. It was usually the surgeons or the healers who told the soldiers' loved ones of the men's' fates. _

"_Your father," he began. "Won't be coming home."_

_The older boy gazed to the ground, face unreadable. The younger one buried his face with his hands, dissolving into uncontrollable sobs._

"_It's even more sad," the older boy said suddenly, his voice breaking. "Because our mother died in the explosion the other night."_

_The General gazed pitifully at him. "I'm truly sorry, Malus," he said. "Do what you can for Link."_

"_Yes sir."_

Link turned over uncomfortably in his sleep. He shivered slightly. Dawn would come soon, he hoped.

"_Go away!" the young Link shouted angrily at his older brother, who stormed after him in a rage._

_Malus did not yell, but his face was etched in a furious countenance as he grabbed his brother's arm to keep him from running away. "Listen, you brat; it wasn't MY fault how everything ended up!"_

_Link growled and yanked his arm away, trying to run. Malus reached for his arm again and held him back, being much stronger than the ten year old._

"_Listen very carefully," Malus told him firmly. "If Father is indeed gone, then it is I who must look after you. And that means we have to tolerate each other for the next few years. Can you handle that?"_

_The younger boy refused to look at him, but tugged helplessly against his brother's iron-strong grip._

_Malus did not let him go. "I said, can you handle that?"_

"_No!" Link shouted at him. "You can't raise me; you're sixteen!"_

"_Well, what other option do you have?" Malus shot back at him. "None, that's what! You're a little kid; you don't know anything."_

_He finally released the boy's arm, and Link leapt away. He disappeared into the halfway-rebuilt hallway and into the bedroom, and emerged several minutes later with a large burden hastily wrapped in brown paper._

_Malus stepped forward and tore the paper off, revealing a spotless metal surface adorned with colored symbols. _

_The older boy frowned. "Is this Dad's shield?"_

_Link did not bother to cover his tracks. "Yes."_

"_The Hylian shield? His lucky piece of armor?"_

"_Yes."_

"_Why was it in our room?"_

_The boy was silent. He mumbled incoherently under his breath._

"_What?!" Malus demanded._

"_I didn't think Dad would leave without it," said Link. "It protected him well for so many years…he never got a bad wound when he had the shield."_

"_I know that; Dad told us that many times," Malus said irritably. "Why do you have it?"_

_Link looked down into the shield's shimmering face, gazing listlessly at his own hazy reflection._

_Malus started. "You stole it," he said. "No wonder Dad couldn't find it that day. What were you thinking?"_

"_I thought…" Link began, but he squeezed his eyes shut as tears fought to emerge. "…I thought…he'd stay home and look for it…but he…he went anyway. Before I could give it back to him…"_

_The boy suddenly took the shield with both hands and hurled it to the side. The heavy metal object shattered the glass window and tumbled out of the decrepit house in a heap outside._

_Malus frowned at him. "Nice one, little brother. The glass was just fixed."_

"_Who cares?" Link bellowed. He stormed back outside, skirting to the side to avoid the shards of glass on the ground, and headed in a direction where he wished to be solitary. Never again would he step foot back into that house, nor would he permit himself to looking at that stupid shield again._

_After all, it served as a reminder of Link's role in the death of his father._

With a tired groan, Link sat up, resting his forehead on the palms of his hands. He felt short of breath, as if he had just been running, and his face was slightly damp. He brushed away droplets of sweat from his brow and sighed. He was not going to sleep peacefully.

He resigned to his insomnia and threw his blanket off, kneeling over the side of the bed to feel around for his boots in the darkness. The boots felt oddly coarse around his bare feet.

The window was as dark as the night sky; daybreak would come soon enough, in an hour or two. Link did not know what he would do to pass the time until dawn's light crept over the horizon.

_Same thing as I do during the day, I suppose,_ he thought dully. _Walk._ He felt strange walking through the castle at nighttime, but he decided it was better than sitting in bed, waiting for restful sleep that would never come.

The shadowy room was brightened suddenly by a copper glow emanating from the nearby nightstand. Link spotted his bronze medal giving off the light, and cocked an eyebrow.

"Great, now what?" he muttered, and swept the medal into his hand. Surprisingly, it felt warm, hot even, and it glowed brighter than ever.

"I don't know what you are," he said aloud to the object. "Nor do I know why you light up in the dark. Is it some kind of magic?"

He stared at the engraved horse head, as if expecting it to give him an answer. When nothing happened, he shook his head.

"What's the use of a magical artifact if all it does is glow?" he lamented. "Isn't magic supposed to be some kind of supernatural power, a blessing to those who wield its strength? Shouldn't it be a means of destroying monsters, or liberating the enslaved? What is it _you_ do, then?"

Link tightened his grip on the object, gazing fiercely into the brightened light. "The only reason I kept you for all these years," he said. "…Was my father. A gift from him wasn't a mere token, but something to be cherished." He huffed. "'_Forged by the_ _goddesses themselves_,' he told me. Is that what's so special about you?" The bronze medal was as unresponsive as ever.

"The 'goddesses' must miss you," Link told the medal, his voice edged with anger. "Well, they can have you back, if they so wish. If my father was the price paid for me to possess you, then…" He exhaled deeply. "I want no part of you anymore." With that, he opened his fingers and let the medal drop gracefully to the floor.

As he headed for the door, he realized how dejected he felt now. The soliloquy had drained him of his last ounce of levity. Link could only think of the past now, and it filled him with a sense of misery and loneliness he had not felt so strongly in years.

He gazed back at the bronze medal that lay tossed aside on the floor. The glow had faltered a little; it was flickering.

_If nothing else,_ he thought. _It can light my way through the castle._ With that, he picked the medal back up and left his room.

* * *


	5. Betrayal

**Chapter 5- Betrayal **

By the time the sky outside had become a soft, periwinkle blue, Link had trekked all the way across the castle to the West Wing. He found that this was where the library was located, so he found a place to rest inside the vast forum of books. Not being much of a reader, he merely enjoyed the quiet environment.

To his surprise, he did not feel tired from lack of sleep. He rested on a wooden bench that was connected to a table that stretched endlessly across the library hall. Looking at the covers of different novels and texts became boring, so he occupied himself by twiddling his medal with his fingers. The glow was still quite bright, almost blinding. The horse head was outlined in sheer light, and looked very much alive.

"Link?"

Malus had appeared several feet away. Link stood up, tucking the medallion inside his shirt.

"Hey."

"Good morning," said Malus, giving him a perplexed look. "You're up early."

"Yeah…not a good night," Link told him, shaking his head. "What about you? I've barely seen you at all since, well, you know…"

Malus nodded. "Right. Sorry," he added. "It has been…a strange week."

He looked exhausted. Dark shadows circled his eyes, contrasting with his pale face. His hair and his clothes were all disheveled, and he swayed when he walked, showing his obvious fatigue.

"Malus…I've been meaning to ask you something." Link said. "Do you remember the night Mother died?"

For about one minute, there was dead silence between the two. Link patiently waited it out, never taking his eyes off of his brother, who stared right back at him.

"Why do you bring up this subject?" Malus said. His voice descended an octave.

"Because…I had a dream about it last night. It brought back…painful memories," Link admitted. "But it was so vivid. I feel like it means something."

"It was just a dream," Malus told him immediately. "A dream, and nothing more. It doesn't mean a thing."

Link stared reproachfully at him. "How can you be so sure?"

"Because!" Malus suddenly said vehemently. "Dreams mean nothing! All it has done is drudge up ancient history!"

"_Ancient history?_" Link was furious. "Is that all it is? The dead are just ancient history to you?"

"It's in the past," Malus said firmly. "It won't do any good to dwell on what's already transpired."

Link turned his head away from him and sighed with frustration, drumming his fingers on the wooden table. "Your word is my command, _your Highness,_" he seethed. "Is that what everyone will call you now?"

"Don't even start," Malus growled. "It is of the utmost importance that I take this position. Hyrule will fall into ruin if her people fight over a new monarch."

"How noble of you," Link remarked. "Thinking of Hyrule's welfare. Hopefully, you'll do better than your predecessor. Perhaps you'll turn your seeing eye toward your capital city. It's in ruins, if you haven't noticed."

"The castle was built outside of the city in later years," Malus defended, his brow lowering over his eyes. "It is purely a merchant city and is not of our concern."

"So you'll hide in your lofty castle while the city below you becomes a ghetto. Impressive."

"Silence! You know nothing, you-"

Link smirked at him. "What? What am I? I'm not ten years old anymore, Malus. I wouldn't resort to calling names."

Malus straightened to a towering height, looking angry and flustered. "I have become King, for your information. You dare to challenge my authority?"

"HA!" Link laughed in his face. "You sound like such a dictator. Then again, you were like a miniature one in the old days… Gods, I sure feel sorry for Hyrule now."

"SILENCE!"

Malus' eyes were wide; a vein was throbbing dangerously in his temple. Link's smirk faded.

"Understand, Link, that our relationship has completely changed. You show ignorance and conceit as you refer to me in such a casual manner. Now, I want no more snide remarks, understood?"

Link glared at him, mouth set. He dutifully bowed his head and muttered, "Whatever you say, _your Majesty._"

Malus threw him a distasteful look and began to walk away, when Link called after him. "Hold on; I want to know the reason for my summons."

Another dead silence.

"I have been here for over a week, and I've heard nothing. You were King Edward's apprentice; you should know about this. Are you going to tell me why I hauled my ass here, or should I just go home?"

Shaking his head, Malus replied, "It's no use now. My former theories have been debunked, so your presence is no longer needed here. You may go, if you wish."

"Hmph. Just like a noble; secretive with a hidden agenda," said Link. He was unsure of why he was suddenly so aggressive, but it likely had something to do with Malus' past aloofness. Three years with no contact, and the older man still acted like he didn't have a brother. Link had harbored ill feelings toward his brother for a while, and now was the only opportunity he had to vent his frustration. "If it doesn't matter, then what's the point in keeping it secret? Try me."

Malus hesitated. He scratched the back of his head, then relented. "There is…a legend in existence that I have studied in vast detail. It's knowledge that is strictly limited to members of the Royal Family."

He paused. Link raised his eyebrows, expecting him to elaborate. Malus rolled his eyes.

"I won't give it away that easily," he said. "It took me quite a bit of influence to find out what the legend is, so you won't get it for free. Anyway, it involves something of high value, something I believe Father gave to you as a child."

Link started. Feeling the medal in his shirt, he thought quickly. _Is it possible…?_

"A medallion, crafted of bronze. The one with the horse on the face. Do you remember?"

Excited, Link pulled the medallion from his shirt and held it up. "You mean this one?"

Malus' jaw nearly dropped. His hand seemed to spasm involuntarily and he yanked it behind his back impulsively. Clearing his throat, he said, "You still have it?"

"Of course," Link told him. "You thought I would just dispose of it?"

"Well, you were just a kid," Malus remarked. "Anyway…I can't believe it. This is…great news!"

Link was bewildered. "Are you going to tell me _why_ this is good news? What is it about the medallion that is so special? Perhaps you can explain it to me; after all, you're the sorcerer."

"Just…let me see it." Malus outstretched his hand. "Give the medallion to me and everything will make sense."

Link looked at Malus' hand for a moment, then at his medallion, and shook his head. "No. I'm tired of being kept in the dark," he stated. "I'm not giving this to you unless I know what it's for."

"This is way over your head," Malus growled. "All I need is this medallion. It's…for the good of Hyrule. Will you deny me?"

Link shoved the medallion in his pocket. "For Hyrule, is it? Or for this _legend_ you speak of?"

With a scream, Malus suddenly lunged at him. Link drew back, startled, keeping a hand protectively over the medallion in his pocket. Malus staggered and retreated again, as if frightening himself, as well. His hands shook.

"You…are…insolent," he breathed. "You don't realize that your stubbornness stands in the way of a plan in the making since my _arrival_ here. Don't you understand? With your medallion, we could gain such enormous power over the state! You and I, together!"

"I don't care for the way power has molded you so far, Malus," Link told him, a tingling sensation of fear growing inside of him. "It's changed you, anyone could see that. At first, I figured it was just your average pompous, ill-mannered nobility shining through, but now…it's scary."

Malus snarled at him. "I do not care to hear your opinion about it. Give me the medallion…or else."

"Or else what? What? You'll kill me?" Link shot back at him.

A flare glimmered in Malus' eyes after that statement. His face somehow looked completely different from before. The darkness surrounding his eyes was more prominent, leaving, a reddish tinge to the edges of his eyes. His hazel pupils were ablaze with something worse than hate.

Link faltered in his speech. He was still; his breathing became quicker. "It was you."

Malus did not answer.

"It _was _you" Link repeated, barely believing his own words. "You killed King Edward."

"Did you think," Malus said through gritted teeth. "That I would ever gain the throne with _him_ still alive?"

Link just gazed at him, dumbfounded. "You…you killed him! You killed the king, and the old magician as well! You murderer!"

"Don't bother calling me such names. I did what I had to do. Archimago was a great sorcerer; he taught me everything there is to know about magic, and all about the Ancient Legend. In order to make the Ancient Legend come true, I would have to become king. That is what I was told. So I was Edward's apprentice for years, waiting for my shot at the throne. It became clear to me that with him alive, I would never be his successor. If I waited too long, Zelda would receive the crown and I would lose my chance! So I did as I was instructed by Archimago; conduct a coup and _take_ the crown."

Link moved many steps away; he was horrified. "And what were Archimago's motives?" he demanded. "Would it have something to do with his little fetish for killing people?"

"What?!" Malus spat. "What do you know?!"

"More than you think! I spotted his book in his chamber," Link shouted. "I read it. What, has he taught you something about _Redeads?_"

The term struck a chord. Malus started trembling.

"It is a dark magic, something that can be dangerous yet marvelous at the same time! The strongest army in the world can be bred in just a matter of months, don't you see? And I now have the authority to _build_ that army!"

The older man's rambling frightened Link now, but he did not stop asking questions. "So why did you kill the magician as well?"

"The old man had other, secret motives. It was after the king died when I realized that Archimago wanted nothing more than to use me; use me for what he himself was unable to accomplish himself. I am nobody's leverage; I ascended the castle and stabbed him in his sleep."

Link's mouth hung slightly open, his lips feeling dry as sandpaper. He braced his legs, feeling an incredible urge to run. Instead, he swallowed and said, "I made a terrible error in judgment," he admitted, his voice trembling. "But I was right about something; you are a deep-seated dictator. You have your first two kills over with, so what else will hold you back?"

"The laws created by the Goddesses," Malus replied fiercely. "Those are the only laws that bind me. As a result, I will not kill you," he said. "As long as you hand over the medallion willingly."

Link fidgeted, stepping backward indecisively. His head told him to surrender the medallion and get out of the castle alive. But his heart, his instinct, told him differently. Before he knew what he was doing, he said, "I will not."

In that next moment, Malus rushed toward him, and Link sprinted from reach. He ran across the library hall toward the open wooden doors, not even daring to look back. With a groan, the double doors swung together and clasped shut by themselves. Link skidded to a stop, and glanced back over his shoulder, stupefied.

Malus' hand was outstretched with his fingers spread. His eyes were ablaze. "Don't forget," he shouted over the distance of the hall. "I AM a sorcerer!" He waved his hand to the side, and the corridor rang with the sounds of swinging doors. Every other pair of French doors in the library closed by their own volition, making the hall suddenly much smaller.

Link dove to his right and disappeared behind a row of bookcases, running as fast as he could. He felt air rush past his head as waves of magic toppled books out of the shelves and strew them across the floor. Within seconds, shelves were flying from the walls and crashed to the floor. By sheer luck or speed, Link was not hit.

At the long stretch of hallway, he spotted a door that has swung open a crack. He took off full speed toward it, and before he heard his brother's voice again bounded through it and swung it closed.

He did not stop there. Link kept going down the corridor at a jog, blind to where he was going. His heart pounded with fatigue and with fear as Malus' voice boomed above his head.

"_You cannot hide from me. Run for miles, if you can, but you will find no shelter from me."_

Link reached the stairs. He leaped downward two or three steps at a time, in a haphazard mode that was spurred by growing panic.

At what appeared to be the third floor, he halted at the foot of the stairs. He had arrived to a long passageway surrounded on both sides by suits of armor.

_They're statues!_ He told himself, but the dread in his heart told him otherwise.

The two rows of armor turned their helmets in his direction. They sprang from their lifeless positions and took up their weapons; many had swords. Several carried axes; two held maces.

Petrified, Link froze for a moment. He could not easily run back upstairs; he knew facing the suits of armor was his only option.

The two knights closest to him raised their swords and charged. Link ducked and dove to the floor to avoid the crashing of steel onto the stone floor. He jumped to his feet and sprinted away, only to dodge to the left to avoid a swinging axe.

Link halted. There was another knight still blocking his escape; this one was holding the mace. The large spiked sphere rotated over the knight's helmet from the end of a chain, covering at least the width of the hallway.

Behind him, the other suits of armor were turning around to catch him again. _I'm cornered!_

There was a row of windows along the left wall; they were stained glass with a plethora of colors. Link eyed the closest one for a fraction of a second. _Will I make it?_

It did not take long for him to act. The only conscious thing he did was angle his face into his shoulder to avoid the glass. He hurled himself through the window, wincing at the shards that flew across his unguarded face. The next sensation he felt was falling; he was tumbling through the air with his body curved in an awkward shape, arms crossed over his chest. He never opened his eyes once.

He collided with what felt like the roof of a tower below the third floor. The impact knocked the wind out of his lungs, and he couldn't breathe. Nor could he stop himself from rolling down the angled roof.

Freefall again. The swooping sensation in his stomach returned full force for about one second until everything stopped. He stopped falling. Barely breathed.

* * *

Link opened his eyes a fraction, groaning. He had not fully hit the ground, or else the three-story fall surely would have killed him. The rooftop had saved his life.

Yet he hurt all over. He had ended up landing on his side, where he felt the most pain. A rib had likely been bruised. A trickle of blood running down his face told him where the glass had cut his face and exposed arms. Compared to his muscle pain, the cuts felt numb, although Link knew he would be covered with blood in a matter of minutes.

Two pairs of hands suddenly grabbed his shoulders and hoisted him up. Link cried out at the sharp constriction of his lungs. He glanced up and shook his head; his bangs were hanging over his eyes. They were two Royal guards, and with their combined strength dragged Link across the grass.

_I landed in the courtyard,_ Link thought dimly. Having little strength or will power, he let the guards take him.

They did not move for very long. The two guards halted their march and shoved Link into a standing position.

Malus stood over him, looking seven feet tall compared to before. The manic expression in his eyes had somewhat faded; now he looked disappointed. Link vaguely wondered for a moment how he had gotten down to ground level so quickly, then he remembered._ Magic._

"I didn't expect such a dramatic departure," he said. "Foolish. Very foolish."

Link tried to speak; to scream at him if possible, but he could hardly draw breath. He incoherently growled.

"I tried so hard," Malus continued. "To make a pact with you, Link. All I wanted was your help, your support. And after all those years I raised you..."

Link could risk permanent lung damage for this. "Shut up!" he gasped. "Sure you wanted my help...but I know you have... bad intentions. You...you're a murderer...that's all I know now..."

Malus got down on one knee and met his eyes; fiery hazel met icy blue. "Let me tell you something, and don't dare forget it. There are forces on this Earth that we have no control over. Invisible laws that keep us bound to predestined paths. It is called destiny, Link. You see the killings as a crime; I do not. They are symbols of my growing strength; my rise to the throne. And after everything that has happened to me, I realize now it is my destiny to take Hyrule. Do you know what your destiny is?"

With a hissing breath, Link replied, "I don't believe in that shit."

"And that is why you are lost. That is when others seal your fate for you."

Link dropped his head, having no response.

Malus stood up again. "The medallion. Hand it to me."

The guards supporting Link by the shoulders searched him, digging through his pockets until one of them drew out the shining bronze.

As soon as the medallion landed in Malus's palm, the glow flared up to a blinding white, then suddenly died completely. What was left was merely a sculpted piece of metal; being dulled burnt orange lacking the former shine.

"Damn," Malus muttered. "Then I must carry on with the rest of my conquest. Link, I gave you your chance earlier. Now, it seems, you will only stand in my way."

He turned his head to the guards. "Take him."

With a painful lurch, Link felt himself being towed away again by the two men. His body was emptied of fighting strength, but his mind raced with dread._ Malus, what have you done?_

_What have _I_ done?_

* * *

He ended up in the castle dungeon. The stone prison leveled just below ground level with only one way up to the outside,which was constantly patrolled by castle guards. Inside the cells, there were pairs and trios of dirty, unkempt men chained together or to the walls; likely criminals and prisoners of war.

Link was taken to an empty cell, one that was tucked conveniently in the farthest row from the light that shone meagerly from the dungeon's only window. In his injured and sore state of being, he did not put up much of a fight as his possessions were taken from him. The two guards slammed the iron bars behind them and locked them, stowing away the keys. They departed without a word,and ignored the jeering and howling of the other prisoners.

The cell itself was not very large, perhaps as wide as a storage shed. Link crept into the back corner, wheezing and coughing as his bruised side throbbed against his ribcage. The cuts on his face were not as bad as he had predicted, however, he already felt quite dizzy from the loss of blood.

Claustrophobia overwhelmed him. The darkness was closing in around him, suffocating him. Link leaned back against the cell wall, shivering. _How could this happen? _he mourned. _In just one day, I've lost my freedom...and my brother._

How could Malus betray him? Link could only think of the terrible gleam in his eyes when he set eyes on the medallion...the sick joy he showed of his murder victims.

_Power changes people, I know that. I just never thought it possible…the depths to which he would sink!_ Link felt exhausted, and he lifted his knee up to rest his chin. _Worst of all, he has that medallion. Whatever I could have prevented will happen now, with him in power. Goddesses, what have I done?_

He stared desperately at the moldy ceiling. "If you Goddesses truly exist," he said aloud. "Help me, please. I need a miracle."

* * *


	6. The Ancient Legend

_Author's Note: Okay, I realize this one took a while, and that it's rather short, but next chapter won't sell you so short, I promise. I was really hoping to receive more feedback on this story, because I think I will value reviews now more than ever. Please; it will only take up a few minutes of your time to write a decent review. I will take any kind of criticism, as long as it's constructive, and praise, if you have any. So please, read, enjoy, and review!_

**Chapter 6- The Ancient Legend**

Link unfurled his aching body and stiffly rose to a sitting position in the dark. Sleeping on the stone floor had proved to be a quite painful ordeal; not only were his muscles hardened and sore but his cuts stung and repeatedly bled. He silently cursed to himself, starting as his hushed voice echoed inside the dungeon. It was then when he realized he was completely alone.

_What happened to the other prisoners? _he asked himself. Thinking back to the text he read from **The Chronicles of Murder and Death**, and Malus's revealed plans, he pushed the horrible assumptions away. _I would say that they are in a better place now…how wrong I would be._

Thus far, Link had stayed in the prison cell for nearly a day. The guard made his rounds once or twice in that time to drop a tray of food, although Link had no real appetite. In fact, he had barely moved from where he sat for many hours.

_So this is how it will end,_ he lamented. _I will be killed and turned into…some kind of monster. If I don't rot in jail first…_

He looked up as he heard the door creak. The light from outside flashed and disappeared as the door opened and closed again, admitting a shrouded figure. The person was silent as he or she crossed the dungeon.

Curious, Link cautiously scooted closer to the bars. He grasped two with his bloodied hands and gazed out of his cell to the figure, which he now recognized as the Princess.

"Your Highness?" he croaked. He was surprised at how low his voice sounded.

She shushed him. "Speak softly; our voices carry up to the higher levels."

"Sorry," he whispered. "What do you want?"

The Princess kneeled, uncaring to the cruel stone she was standing on, folding her gown. She lowered herself eye-to-eye with him. "You and I must discuss what it happening."

"Good. Perhaps you can tell me why my brother has become such a tyrant." Link decided that since he was in jail, there was no point in adhering to propriety.

"That I cannot explain well myself," said Zelda. "Not without telling you certain facts beforehand. But first, I must ask you a couple of questions. One; the medallion that Malus now possesses belonged to you, correct?"

"Aye."

"How long did you have it?"

"Since I was a boy."

Princess Zelda nodded thoughtfully. "I see. And the medallion; did it glow while you held it?"

"Yes!" Link said. "Can you tell me why that is?"

"Yes. But one last question for you. When Malus took your medallion, did the glow fade or did it stay strong?"

"It stopped glowing," Link replied. "Is that a good thing or a bad thing?"

"Both, in a way," said Zelda. "Now Link, I will answer any questions you have, but you must listen to me first, and listen well. I am about to recount the Ancient Legend for your ears only."

_That was the legend Malus was talking about,_ Link remembered. "What is it?"

"First, you must swear that you will keep this secret, and only converse about it with others who already know it."

"I swear." And Link meant it.

"Then listen…"

"_When the age of chaos in Hyrule's early history began its end, the three Goddesses descended to the earth one last time. The Triforce was a relic that balanced the world's most basic essences.. Now the deities embarked on a new task; to give to the races of Hyrule a set of motives less generic than the three essences of the Triforce. From their mighty powers came the five sacred beings that embodied these five merits._

_First was Virtue; the conscience that drives one to lead a life of moral purity. This was presented in the form of a magnificent horse. The Stallion was the offspring of the earth itself, and thus took his place within earth._

_The next was Fealty; the sense of loyalty and friendship that bonded sons with their fathers, brothers to brothers, retainers to their lords. Fealty was represented as the Wolf, most faithful of beasts. He took his place among the chaste spirits of the sacred wood._

_Then there was Courage, the internal knowledge of things far more important than fear. So arose the Lion, fearless and stout of heart. Sand was his coat and the wind his mane, thus his place was in the farthest reaches of the desert._

_Wisdom there was also, the indispensable knowledge most only gain by doing and seeing. More than intelligence alone, but a sound conscience and an unbiased view of the world. The Eagle, O how Wise she was. She came to be in the heavens, and her spirit settled atop the highest peak._

_Last realized was Cunning, or the ability to adapt and survive well in such a chaotic system. The Snake was given Cunning, since he was one with quick wit and guile, unmatched in battle and with a deceptive appearance._

_The realms in which these Five creatures lived became living barriers to a place considered untouchable, an unmapped and secretive land that was named Kingdom Animalia. Not a soul in Hyrule has ever set foot in this realm, but the Five Sacred Animals still roam, confined to bodies of flesh, guarding Hyrule from their elusive grounds. Divided they remain, waiting for the union that will bring about the Golden Age."_

Link stared. "I'm not quite sure I understand," he said.

"The legend is not a mere fairytale," the Princess stated seriously. "Everything I have said to you is true; the Five indeed exist, and so does Kingdom Animalia."

"Is it supposed to be some kind of parallel universe?" Link queried, silencing his mounting excitement. He had heard many priceless stories in the past, but none came close to this one as far as reality. Something about that tale made him want, _hope_ it to be real.

"The Kingdom has never been seen by anyone, save for the Five," said Zelda. "The legend also tells of a dangerous power that is contained there, that can be gained without even setting foot inside the Kingdom."

"How is that?"

"Your medallion," Zelda pointed out. "It is told that long ago, the Animals forged, with the Goddesses' help, five medallions infused with their spirits inside. Though it was unknown to them, each medallion would soon find a keeper that best represented the Animal. If I am not mistaken, I would say that you are the keeper of the Stallion's medallion."

Link somehow knew she would say that, and was already deep in thought. "That explains the glow," he said vaguely. "So what does this mean?"

Zelda continued. "The purpose was to unite the Five into a solid power; when each keeper has been found, the Animals will be released from their corporeal forms and awakened as the true deities they are. They are divided now; Courage without Virtue can corrupt, and Wisdom without Cunning is useless. All must unite in order to carry out the duty they were given in the first place; to protect Hyrule and the Kingdom from evil.

"Although the Five are certain to exist, the Kingdom Animalia remains a mystery. It may indeed be a real place, but it may also be a figurative name to personify the elements of the Five. No one truly knows.

"However, I must tell you that you are the only keeper that has accepted his medallion, therefore it it your responsibility."

"So that means..." Link began, starting to put two and two together. "Whoever finally unites these Five gains that great power you mentioned?"

"Exactly," said Zelda. "It is a power that can easily match that of the gods."

"Then that must be what Malus is after," Link concluded. "But wait; my medallion stopped glowing when Malus took it from me. Does that mean..."

"...That Malus could not truly take it from you. Yes. It is possible for one to grant his medallion and the spirit within to another by his or her own free will. Another way is to kill the chosen keeper and taking the medallion from its deceased owner. But those are the only ways; it cannot be taken by any other force."

Link felt a heavy weight in his chest, and slid down to the floor. "He would have killed me," he sighed. "If there was no other way, he would have killed me."

"There was one other option that Malus decided to take instead," said Zelda. "From what I know, he will seek out the Five Animals themselves, and_ take_ the power."

"By force? But you said-"

"Indirect force. Remember, Malus is King, now. He can assemble armies to do his bidding, call upon sorcery, arm himself with endless resources. The Animals may have no choice but to surrender to him."

"That cannot happen," said Link. "It can't. What will happen to Hyrule if Malus becomes that corrupted?"

"What has befallen you can easily fall to everyone else in Hyrule," Zelda told him. "We are headed for dark times... but we still have the means to act."

"What do you mean?"

"Link, I ask you for your help; you must help me, because it will ensure Hyrule's survival, as well as your own."

The Princess stood up, wrapping her hand around the lock to the cell. There was a click, and the lock fell free from the latch. The bars swung open, releasing Link from his prison.

Link lifted himself up, astounded. "How did you do that without-"

"Never mind," Zelda hastily told him.

"...a key," Link mumbled the rest of the question, not caring for the interruption.

"There is no more time left for questions. You must get out of the castle. What you must do is find the Stallion whose spirit your medallion contains. He will be waiting for you. His counsel may be your best weapon."

Link stared at the Princess. "Malus has my medallion, remember?"

"Begging your pardon, but he doesn't," the Princess said, giving a wry smirk. From the folds of her gown, she presented the bronze medal before him, dropping it in his hand. "He will soon realize it is missing. You must leave here."

"What about you, Princess?" Link asked her. "You mustn't stay here either."

"I have no choice. I cannot leave," Zelda told him. "Malus has me under close watch; what he plans to do with me, I do not know, but if I leave, he will find me. I am as much a prisoner as you are. But I have set you free, so go now. Find the Stallion."

"But I..." Link was hesitant. "I don't know if I..."

"Link," said Zelda, gently. "I know this is a mighty task to take on alone. Then first go to Kisu Village; it is north of here, across Agrelonge. I believe you will find help there."

Releasing a deep breath, Link replied, "I will need your help out of here."

Once Link followed the Princess out of the dungeon, he was dazzled by the bright sunlight that greeted him through the castle windows. While inside the cell, he had no real way to tell the difference between night and day, since it was as dark as it was any other hour. Walking astride the Princess, they traveled up one level to the main foyer of the castle. Before crossing the threshold, Princess Zelda stopped him.

"It will be more perilous outside in the courtyard," Zelda warned. "Guards patrol every pathway now, and you won't get past unnoticed."

"Can't you just call them off?" Link asked her.

Zelda shrugged sadly. "I don't have the same authority I did before. I will go to the stables and get a horse for you. Mount up, and then ride as fast as you can."

"I have a horse in the stable," Link told her. He felt strange; he had not even visited his horse for the time he had been in the castle. "She's a sorrel mare with a white mane and tail."

"All right," Zelda nodded. "Be ready. When I bring her up to the doors, mount up quickly."

He stood waiting behind the door for nearly ten minutes. By now he was growing apprehensive; for the several minutes he had to himself the impact of what the Princess explained was beginning to sink in. _My responsibility... exactly what do I have to do?And how am I supposed to find this Stallion or whatever without an inkling of what to do?_

Link's thoughts were interrupted as he heard the clip-clopping of horseshoes on the pathway outside. With as much subtlety as he could muster, he yanked the heavy door open and slipped out.

The Princess was standing there with Epona by her side. The horse, to Link's surprise, looked very well taken care of; her coat was sleek and glossy, her hooves cleaned and trimmed, and she was fitted with a shiny leather saddle. The bridle stood out, since it was dull plain leather with a simple D-ring bit.

"It was the only snaffle I could find," Zelda apologized.

"No, it's perfect, thanks," Link told her as her reached out to touch Epona's nose. Seeing a curt nod from the Princess, he grasped the pommel and hoisted himself into the saddle.

"The guards are not quite so restless today," Zelda told him. "So just ride out of here as casually as you can."

"Princess," Link persisted. "I really don't want to leave you here. Will you-"

"I can take care of myself. Please don't worry about me," Zelda smiled at the man's concern. "Just go. And remember, Kisu Village is a few miles north of here, so go there first. Trust me."

With those last words, Link nodded and nudged his horse's sides, setting her off immediately at a leisurely trot.

No more than a moment passed before Link heard the shouts. "Hey, you! Halt!" He did not even look back; Link clapped his heels into Epona's ribs, and the horse bounded forward. "Run, Epona! Ha!"

The sudden change of speed was disorientating, but Link's natural equestrian skills kept him in the saddle. The courtyard was becoming a green blur in the corners of his eyes as he rode frantically into the city. Epona's hoof beats resonated through the stone paved streets in a haphazard_ clopitty cloppity cloppity. _Link could only yell an incoherent warning to people in his path.

_Nobody is chasing me,_ he realized. _None of those guards are on horses. They can't catch me!_ This did not slow him down. He heeded the Princess's words and kept riding, winding through Scutum's desolate alleyways until, with a great sense of freedom, horse and rider burst across the drawbridge and into Agrelonge's sprawling prairie.

_Why did the Princess stay behind?_ Link pondered worriedly. He rode at a walk now, having already covered a mile of ground across the plain. Epona strolled peacefully beneath him, seeming to enjoy the brisk exercise.

_She could easily have ridden away with me. She should have! Something else was keeping her there..._ Yet, there was nothing he could do about it now. He was not about to turn back and get captured again, especially since Zelda had taken the risk of setting him free. All he was focused on now was following her directions. Remembering the village he was looking for, Link looked to the north.

Squinting in the late morning light, he spotted a large settlement atop the arc of a gigantic hill, resembling the back of some kind of large monster. From the distance of two miles, he could see tiny pillars of smoke rising from chimneys, and a central pasture where livestock were herded together.

_Kisu Village... this must be what the Princess was talking about. Maybe this is where that Stallion lives?_ Deciding he would find out upon his arrival, Link trotted Epona eagerly toward the village.

_Remember... feedback is my best friend. Be my best friend. :) _

_Until next chapter, yours truly,_

_The Twilight Stallion_


	7. Journey Afoot

_A.N: I'm pleased at how many more hits the story received after last chapter, so let's keep the fun going! Remember; read, and review, if you can! _

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* * *

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**Chapter 7: Journey Afoot**

Link remembered the day, about ten years earlier, when Epona was weaned. Sometime around midday, he watched as the stable hands gently towed the six-month-old filly from her nickering mother, doing their best to disregard the desperate, pleading whinnies that erupted from the foal. They released her into a pen filled with yearlings, older horses that were already over a year in age. The young Epona stood trembling on lanky, baby horse legs while the older colts and fillies trotted in circles around her. Until that day, Epona beheld an utmost dominance over the fewer spring foals, an unflappable confidence that increased ten-fold with the support of her mother grazing nearby. Afterwards, the filly was equivalent to a small fish in a large pond.

It was a similar feeling in Kisu.

Through the gates Link emerged on horseback, not noticing his still prison rugged appearance, staring with wide eyes at his foreign surroundings. His forest green tunic would have stood out just the same had it not been torn and spotted with blood, since the majority of people in the village dressed in dull brown garments. In his old village, Link had found a consistent way to blend, to the point where he could slip by and not a soul would notice or care what he was doing; that suited him just fine. In this place, people stared; they paused in their daily activities (herding sheep or driving horse carts were most common tasks) just to catch a look at the stranger.

It certainly did not take a small village to notice a stranger in its midst. Kisu Village was by no means a small village; the entire hump of the hill was dotted with shabby, brick-built houses adjacent to compact corrals, where herds of livestock where jumbled together to fight for grazing on sparse patches of grass. In fact, the populations of horses and sheep likely surpassed the number of humans.

No, Link knew that his post-prison exterior was drawing attention. Regardless, he trudged up the hill, keeping to the main road, looking and feeling at a loss of where to go for help. Meanwhile, passersby looked down at the gaunt, troubled-looking youth, thinking he was better suited for a march to the gallows.

Link indeed felt lost. He had just been dealt a heavy responsibility, one he still did not fully understand, and still fought with his deep-rooted anxiety at the things he had witnessed in Scutum. Princess Zelda was trapped in the castle, and Link could only avoid imagining what would happen to her there if he did not do what she asked. Yet he was trapped himself; he was still weak from hunger and injury, not to mention he was ill equipped; he had no skills with a blade or any armor for protection. His current concern was finding the help the Princess had promised, however vague that promise was.

_She gave me no directions, no name, no description…_ Link repeated dully in his mind. _Now what?_ He turned halfway to give Epona's reins a tug; the mare had stooped her head to snatch a tuft of grass.

"Come on, mare," he smiled weakly. "Let's move along so I can eat too."

* * *

Located centrally in the village was the only tavern crossed with an inn. Link found it would be a suitable place to tie Epona up and find something to eat for himself. After leaving his horse out front, he walked inside, gracious for the warmth that surrounded him as soon as he opened the door.

The tavern was mostly empty; there were only two men inside, one was standing behind the bar, the other sitting in the corner quietly sipping a pint.

Feeling even more distinct and out of place, Link silently took a seat in at the bar, pointedly avoiding the eyes of the barman.

"Hey, son. Where've you run from?" the barman asked, chuckling softly.

_He's referring to my clothes,_ Link reminded himself. "Nowhere," he replied monotonously.

"And what about them cuts on your face? Run into a wild beast?"

Link shrugged. "You could say that." He thought about his statement. He growled under his breath.

"Well, do you want something, or do you just wanna sit there all day?" said the barman, not unkindly.

Feeling for his pocket, Link suddenly realized that he had no money. The small amount he had taken on his person to Scutum had been taken when the guards stripped him of his possessions. Furrowing his eyebrows moodily, he shook his head.

"I don't have any money."

"Well damn, son," the barman said pitifully. "Listen, you look kinda beat up, so how about some soup on the house?"

Link was too hungry to decline. "Thank you, sir," he said gratefully.

It was actually beef stew, Link realized, as he took a bite. The meat warmed him from the inside out, and although was merely broth with meat and vegetables, to him it was like a delicacy. He bent his head down and took a few more bites, trying not to gulp it down too fast; it was hot.

"Hey, stranger. Here on business?"

Hearing the foreign voice behind him, Link sat up and turned his head. He swallowed a particularly hot bite of stew and coughed. "Beg your pardon?"

The man in the corner had been the one to speak. Setting down his half-empty jug, he casually rested his elbows on his knees and gave Link a comical stare with a pair of reflective teal eyes. Thin locks of reddish gold hair hung over his ears, giving his face a weathered, cowboy-like countenance. "I said, are you here on business or something? You're not from around here; that much is obvious."

"Err, no," Link replied. "Just visiting."

"Just visiting?" The man cocked an eyebrow. "Kid, this ain't exactly a tourist attraction. I've been here for almost six years, and all we do here in our humble establishment is farm, smith, or keep the inn. Or come in here to binge on occasion." He smiled, as if recollecting a fond memory. "What's your purpose?"

"My purpose?" Link repeated the question, unsure of how to answer accurately. "Just, trying to find help."

"Aren't we all," the other man stated, nodding in agreement. "No offense, but you look like you could use some."

Link was not offended. It was true. He was merely curious about this man's straightforward way of saying so.

"Well, I would love to stay and give you some advice," the man said with an air of insincerity. "But I'm afraid I won't be staying long. Only so much cider you can hold in the morning, right?"

"It's about two in the afternoon," Link told him pointedly.

"So it is," the other man said, shrugging. He sat up, crossing one of his boots over the other, leaning back in his chair. "What's your name, kid?"

"…Link," Link told him, returning to his stew. "Yours?" He asked this merely to be polite; in truth, he really did not care who this person was.

"Well, Link," said the other man. "You can call me Leo."

"Okay."

"So Link. Might I ask where you came from? Before Kisu, I mean."

Link paused, glancing at Leo over his shoulder. He wondered if the man would believe his story. _Not likely,_ he figured, so he settled for telling part of it.

"Scutum," he said truthfully." "I was staying in the castle. Business," he added curtly, thinking of a million better words for it.

Leo chortled at that. "Not bad," he remarked. "And then you came here? A bit of a step down from the royal chambers, wouldn't you say?"

"Not really," Link said. That was the truth. "Although I did meet the Princess. She sent me here."

There was a loud _clank_ as the jug hit the table. Leo had slapped his pint down in surprise. He looked up at Link with a face of pure incredulity. "Princess Zelda?" he said mindlessly. "Of Hyrule? _Our _Hyrule?"

"…Yes," Link replied, mildly enjoying Leo's reaction. "The one and only. She told me herself to come here. She said I would find help in Kisu Village. So here I am."

The look on Leo's face was now indescribable. He did not seem even remotely disbelieving of the story, although he shook his head slightly as if in disappointment. "Oh, Princess, what have you gotten me into…?"

"What?"

"Never mind, it's not important," Leo said quickly. He stood up, abandoning his jug completely and took a seat, uninvited, next to Link.

"I've changed my mind," he said. "You need help, you say, so here I am. Try me."

Link stared at him. "You're kidding," he said. "Knowing someone's name doesn't mean you can fully trust their judgment."

"Hey, you're no fine prize either, kid," Leo told him placidly. "But it seems to me that you'll do most anything for a push in the right direction."

Link did not like the sound of this. "What are you saying?"

The other man chuckled at his suspicion. "I'm saying… I think I know why you're here."

_Is he the help Zelda was talking about?_ Link wondered. _It's too convenient to be coincidence._ He took a chance. "So…you know about the Ancient Legend?"

"Mmhm," Leo licked his lips. "Haven't heard it that way for a long time. But yes."

"Prove it."

Raising both eyebrows, Leo grinned. "Wary, much? Good, better that way than too naive. You want proof? I don't exactly have object evidence, but let me ask you this. Which Medallion are you the Keeper of?"

Link was startled, and suspicious. _How does he know?_ "The…err…Stallion's, I think."

"Convinced?"

"Yes."

"Good," Leo said brightly. "So one last question for you. What exactly did our dear young princess ask you to do?"

Now reasonably sure that this man was sincere, Link gave him an honest answer. "She told me to find the Stallion. That was just about it."

Absorbing the words, Leo looked thoughtful for a moment. Then abruptly he said, "All right."

"All right, what?"

"This afternoon," Leo told him.

"What-?"

The other man was becoming impatient. "This afternoon, we leave the village. I will take you to find your Stallion."

"Wait, why so soon?" Link was baffled.

"Because," Leo's tone became serious. "It is no longer safe to remain in one place for too long."

Link said nothing. He stared listlessly down into his stew, not particularly hungry anymore. _It's all a gamble now…either trust this Leo, or face this alone._

He stalled his decision. "Why do you want to help me?" he asked.

"Because," Leo told him. "I think you're the one the Princess has been looking for. And besides all that…I'm always up for a little adventure."

"And the definition of adventure would be…"

"Oh, you know, leading a dangerous life among the elements of the wild, facing unknown challenges and taking up your blade before the deadliest and foulest of beasts." Leo said this without even blinking.

"Sounds good. When do we leave?"

* * *

Less than an hour passed before the two men stood just outside the door of the village smithy. After emerging from the inside of the building, Leo presented a newly forged blade.

"It's yours to carry for a while," he said, allowing Link to take with both hands. "It's not that big; fifteen inch knife, but it's pretty sharp and will pierce most hides."

Link turned the knife over in his hands, admiring the shiny steel hilt. "I should tell you; I don't know much of anything about swords."

"That's not our main concern," said Leo. He began walking and motioned for Link to follow. "Right now we have to move. Time's getting short, and we have quite some distance to cover."

Link jogged astride the other man. "Why are we in such a hurry, again?"

"Didn't I tell you? Due to your circumstances, it isn't safe to linger here or anywhere else for too long. It's not safe for you, or for anyone you come into contact with."

Link pulled up, giving Leo a hard look. "What on earth do you know of my circumstances?" _What _could_ he know? He wasn't in Scutum; he hasn't seen what I've seen._ Yet it occurred to him that this man had the annoying trait of knowing things he shouldn't have.

Without even a pause, Leo said, "I know enough," over his shoulder. "Things will become clearer to you pretty soon. Now quit messing around, kid. Come on, I have one last thing to do."

Reluctantly, Link followed. Hearing the other man call him 'kid' was nothing short of irritating; he was twenty years old, for the love of the gods! After all, Leo did not seem much older; early thirties, at the most.

The next stop was a nearby stable. Leo and Link stepped into the aisle to see a modest group of horses tethered to a rail. The older gentleman there met them at the door.

"Lookin' ter buy?" he asked hopefully.

"Possibly," Leo replied. He turned to Link. "Since you have a horse already, I need to get one of my own. Which one of these do you think is the best?"

"Why are you asking me?"

Rolling his eyes, Leo said, "You're the Stallion's keeper…and an equestrian. I think this might be more your expertise."

Taking the hint, Link let his eyes wander over the row of horses standing in front of them. He tapped into his innate knowledge of horse conformation as he inspected their legs, muscles, and bone structure. Finally he walked over to a stocky bay gelding and rested his hand on the horse's shoulder.

"Good eyes," the seller remarked. "Ol' Flash here'll take ya anywhere, an' he's mighty strong. Sweetest temper of any hoss I ever saw. What're ya willin' ter pay for 'im?"

"Fifty rupees."

This seemed to greatly amuse the seller. "Sir, there's no way I'll give a hoss away fer pocket change." He scratched his head, thinking. "One hundred and fifty."

"Deal," Leo said almost immediately. Taking the lead shank from the seller's hands, he paid the money and started to walk the gelding away.

Link dogged his steps. "You lowballed him," he accused.

"Look, we have no time for fair haggling, kid. Sure, the horse is probably worth about five hundred at least, but you can't blame me if the guy was willing to take a steal."

Link did not reply. He shook his head, thinking,_ I have just crossed paths with a rather interesting man…it's better than facing this alone, I guess. _

* * *

_A.N: For the culturally impaired, "hoss" would be "horse" in a slurred English accent. Just trying to enhance the effects of the dialects. Don't sue me._

_Also, I would like to add that the character Leo is probably my very favorite. Unlike my other characters, his character has been based on many peoples', although sometimes I consider him as my alter-ego. :)_

_So ... reviews are good things. Remember that._

_Until Chapter 8,_

_The Twilight Stallion_


	8. Song of the Wild

_A/N: You will notice that Hyrule Field is renamed as Agrelonge. This was decided early in the story's making and I decided not to change it. I've never really liked the Hyrule Field title, as it seems to understate the true vastness of the grassland environment. The name _Agrelonge_ is derived from the Latin term which means "plains," or "prairie."_

_Anyway, enough of my rambling and on with the story._

* * *

**Chapter 8: Song of the Wild**

Stretches of land churned beneath Epona's hooves as she bounded up yet another hill. Link stood up in the stirrups and grabbed the horse's mane to steady his balance. Leo rode ahead of him by several strides. The older man had suggested a rapid pace as they left Kisu, and had ignored Link when asked why. So the two riders had galloped the horses for nearly an hour, without stopping for rest.

"_We're not taking the road?"_ Link had inquired within the first five minutes of the ride. Turning Flash around, Leo had replied, _"And go where they can see us? Fat chance."_ The man gave no further details; such as exactly who "they" were, and without another word he had heeled the gelding into a canter, heading into the rugged grasslands, motioning for Link to follow.

There were broad dirt paths that snaked across Agrelonge that were made for travelers and merchants. These roads linked Hyrule's busiest marketplaces (Scutum and Lake Hylia were perfect examples) to the numerous villages, those of which produced most of the stock. Leo made a point of avoiding these roads and took Link into the wilds: the untamed regions of the prairie where people were scarce and the terrain was often questionable.

According to what Leo mentioned, Link concluded that they were journeying through central Agrelonge. This area on the Hyrulean map was always charted blank, as no roads were paved through and little exploration took place there. Link suspiciously wondered how Leo knew the way to… wherever they were going.

The grass here was short, dry and coarse, and it was often mixed in with scattered sagebrush. The elevation itself was comparable to the humped back of a camel. Throughout the last hour of riding, Link somewhat acclimated to the large, bumpy gait Epona adopted to overcome the terrain.

As early evening settled in, the sun started hovering just above the horizon, signaling the impending sunset. From the last two hours of riding his horse, Link felt winded and his hands were sore from grasping Epona's thick mane, but he marveled at his overall stamina. Despite hearing of the hardships many travelers experienced in the wilderness, he felt quite proud of himself for surviving so much time in the saddle. _It must be nearly time to stop for the night,_ he thought confidently. When he brought his horse level to Leo's, he asked the man that question.

Much to his disappointment, the other man snickered as a reply. "Stop now? Right, sure. Just keep following me, kid. We're not stopping anytime soon."

The sun set quickly. The two riders pressed on, passing through land that unexpectedly became flatter, with only the scattered twilight to illuminate the way. Being enclosed in a wide valley of hills, they allowed the horses to walk, even pausing for a break now and then.

Leo loosened the cinch on Flask just a notch, then disassembled his rucksack to set out his supplies. Link was still in Epona's saddle, gripping the horn with expelled vigor, his hands shaking a little from exhaustion. Grinning sympathetically, Leo remarked, "You going to make it?"

Link's response was an incomprehensible grumble. It took him several tries to effectively dismount from his horse, partly as the muscles in his legs became rigid from the constant clenching. He stumbled as he touched ground, holding onto Epona's reins for dear life. The mare sidestepped and nickered, as if amused.

Once Link righted himself, he gave Leo a listless stare. "I can barely move," he muttered. "Are we stopping for real?"

"Yes, dear greenhorn," Leo smirked. "For tonight." His head disappeared inside of his rucksack as Link sighed with relief.

_Thank the gods._ He had never been so tired and sore in his life. He was abruptly brought to alertness as a thick, leathery skin was shoved into his hands.

"There's a stream over that way," Leo pointed north with his index finger. "Get water for the horses. I need to scout the area."

"Um, right…" Clearing his head, Link followed the direction to where the older man was pointing, feeling as though his feet worked independently from his brain. _So tired…_

As the plains finally succumbed to darkness, Leo returned to the site, looking at peace. "Nothing yet," he said with assurance. He glanced at the pair of steeds and found them tied up and grazing quietly together. Surprised and pleased, the man turned to the makeshift campsite. "Kid, you sure are-"

Link had already laid out his blanket and was fast asleep on the ground.

* * *

Link opened his eyes peacefully. He shifted slightly where he lay but did not rise. He could see the dawn sky tinged a cool pink. Even with his sleep-dulled senses, he could smell the clean moisture in the air as well as the smoky aroma from a long extinguished campfire. For the first time since his imprisonment in Scutum, he felt safe and warm even sleeping on the ground.

A noisy clamor harassed his ears. There were hasty footsteps heard from behind, sounding like they cared not that someone was still asleep, and a whistling of some happy, yet unfamiliar tune. Something large and bulky was dropped to the ground with a _thud,_ unintentionally making a racket against the pots and pans that were scattered next to the campfire.

Thoroughly irritated, Link sat up and twisted himself around to see Leo standing next to a deer carcass on the ground. The man had clearly disregarded the fact that Link was still sleeping and cheerfully went about skinning the animal.

"Top of the morning," said Leo. He stopped whistling.

Link glared at him. "Do you mind?" he said harshly. He threw himself back down on his pillow and shut his eyes.

"No, not at all."

Suddenly Link flinched as a finger lifted up his eyelid. He shoved Leo's hand away and said, "Knock it off, will you?"

"Come on, kid. Get up already, it's morning."

Link dared to open both eyes and look at the sky. "The sun hasn't even come up yet, Leo. I'm tired, just let me sleep." With that he turned to his other side and pulled his blanket completely over his head.

He was nearly dozing again when his blanket was yanked away, exposing him to the cold morning air. He shivered, hugging his arms around himself, since he merely wore his white undershirt and flax pants while he was sleeping. His arm bent over backwards, his hands groped for the blanket but he could not feel it anywhere. He rolled over, groaning, and gave Leo a pitiful look.

"What? Do you think I'll let you sleep the whole day away?" Leo said, shrugging his shoulders. "Show some grit, kid! We have to get to the Great Stallion fast, and we won't if we sleep the entire way there." He gently kicked Link's side with his boot. "Now come on, up."

With the most sluggish and lazy manner Link could accomplish, he rose to a sitting position, stretching his arms and yawning widely. His eyes were sore and only half open as he sat there, trying to wake.

Before long, Leo had finished skinning the deer, a procedure which Link had done his best to avoid looking at, and freshly carved slabs of meat were cooking over a new fire. The smell was gamy but delicious; Link could feel his hunger clawing at his insides. When breakfast was finally ready, he ate with gusto.

"Just out of curiosity," Leo inquired sometime during the meal. "Just how much of this have you done before?"

"Crossing country, you mean?" Link swallowed, savoring the venison. "I rode to Scutum and back, but that's about it."

"I figured."

"Why? What's that supposed to mean?"

The older man yawned dismissively, leaning back a little. "Well…I got you that knife for a reason, yet right now its being stowed inside your bag, safely out of reach should you need it in a split second. Among other things."

Carving off another chunk of meat with his fork, Link shrugged. "I didn't think we were in danger."

Leo chuckled, yet there was a notable degree of sarcasm in his hilarity. "Not at this very _instant,_ no," he confirmed. "But conditions change, whether you expect them to or not. Keep the blade on you at all times from here on out. It's not this peaceful everywhere in Hyrule."

"Fine. Sorry." Link did not look the other man in the eyes. His apology was thin and unenthusiastic.

"Also…" Leo started, in a manner that seemed like the man wondered if he was headed into danger. "Why did you tie the horses up last night?"

Link made a face. "They would have scattered too far away."

"You really think so?" Leo gave him an all-knowing stare. It was a rhetorical question. "Leave them untied; they won't go far in strange country. It's important; just in case we have to make a quick getaway, we won't have to worry about untying them."

"Okay, keep my knife on hand, turn out my horse at night. Got it." Link hoped that was all the other man had to say.

"One last thing…"

"What?"

"_Don't_ put out the fire with water again," Leo's countenance was serious this time. "Use dirt. Or suffocate it some other way. Using water to snuff out the flames produces smoke, which will attract unwanted attention."

"Unwanted attention," Link tasted the words. "Is that what we're running from? Care to explain a little more, all wise one?"

"Hey," Leo chastised. "Save the smart ass remarks for when you have the balls to fight. You want me to shed a little light on the subject? Fine. Come on." The man rose and motioned toward the nearest bluff that towered over their tiny camp. With a regretful sigh, Link stood up and followed, wishing he had not said anything at all.

Once overlooking the bluff, Leo held out his arm and gestured outward to the shadowy flats. "Take a look. See anything odd?"

They were orientated oppositely from the sunrise, which allowed a clearer view. At first Link did not see anything except for broad skies streamed with dawn mist. He was about to shake his head when he paused. "Hang on..."

In the distance, possibly two miles ranging south, tiny dark shapes were visibly marching in circles. If he squinted, Link could make out several human-shaped outlines, along with figures of horses. A larger silhouette, unmistakably a tent, was being disassembled and loaded onto one of the beasts of burdens. Recognizing blue uniforms, Link murmured, "We're being followed."

"Exactly." Leo lowered his arm, his weathered face creased grimly. "As you can see, _his Majesty_ didn't hesitate to dispatch envoys to trail your escape. Which is why we have to pack up and leave right after breakfast."

This time, Link abided by the man's words without question. After the meal was eaten, they packed the remaining slabs of meat into the horses' saddlebags, and tacked them up without a moment to spare. Link consciously smothered the last of the campfire with handfuls of earth, and then kicked the dirt with his foot to erase all evidence it was ever there. After quickly pulling on his tunic over his shirt and pants, he and Leo mounted up and trotted the horses farther east, abandoning the telltale camp.

* * *

Much to Link's despair, the next two days of riding were no easier than the first. As a matter of fact, the second day was the hardest of all; the muscle soreness Link had experienced during the first day simmered and returned two-fold throughout the second, to the point where he gripped the saddle horn in fear of slipping off his horse. The total three days were similar in routine; wake up, eat, pack up, and ride. Ride all day until sundown, and then stop to make camp.

Nighttime was the only time Link expected to appreciate, wishing he could lie down and rest in complete tranquility. Not only were the daylight hours filled with driving his physical limits relentlessly, but he was forced to listen to Leo talk to him without end. The man had seemed rather aloof when Link first met him in Kisu, but after a few days of otherwise isolation, he discovered that the man very much liked to talk. When he did not talk, he sang.

"_Life - thin as a thread  
Sometimes you're lucky  
Sometimes you're better off dead _

Your first breath is taken and in to the world you are cast  
You long for tomorrow while living each day as your last

Well I know what your heart desires  
But you can't take it with you  
Into the fire

Now you've done all you can  
Your life's at the crossroads  
You watch as it slips through your hands

So stand on the mountain and shout in vain at the sky  
But nobody hears you - the words only echo inside  
Oh shelter the flame - it may expire  
Risin' up from the ashes  
Into the fire

Just hold on to your life down to the wire  
Oh out from the dragon's jaws  
Into the fire

There's a moment in every man's life  
When he must decide what is wrong and what's right

You could wait for your dreams to come true  
But time has no mercy  
Time won't stand still for you

Well I know what your heart desires  
Crawlin' out from the wreckage  
Into the fire…" 

Leo always hummed random verses of songs every once in a while, whether to pass the time, or to hear the sound of his own voice, Link had no idea. The man's voice would fade after certain lines and he sometimes looked to Link, as if expecting him to continue. Link merely rolled his eyes and grumbled in annoyance.

He was consistently paranoid; no matter how long or how far they rode each day, the soldiers were always visible some miles away. Link lay awake at night, worrying. He worried about getting captured again, of facing punishment for his treason to the authorities. He thought about Princess Zelda, of how she was trapped in the castle, of what she was possibly being subjected to. Link thought about his brother, and what he was planning for the kingdom at that moment. His worries, for now, outweighed his curiosity of the journey on which he had hastily embarked.

Despite his traveling with Leo, Link felt quite alone.

* * *

It was the middle of the fourth day. The sun was high, the sky was relatively clear, and for the first time, Link and Leo had lost sight of the group of envoys. The harsh schedule that they had followed for the last few days allotted them a healthy fifteen-mile wide gap. This was comforting to Link, and even Leo seemed to relax their pace a little.

After a quick lunch, Leo stood up and said, "Draw your knife."

Link faced him apprehensively, reaching to his belt to unsheathe the attached blade.

Leo picked up a leather bound scabbard that housed a gnarled, steel longsword. When he drew it, the blade appeared to be longer than his torso. The sword must have weighed at least three pounds, but Leo capably held it with one hand. "Hmm," he observed Link closely. "I see that you're left handed. You don't see a lot of lefty swordsmen."

"I'm not a swordsman," Link pointed out. "But…is that a bad thing? Being left-handed, I mean?"

"No," said Leo. "It just might be harder for you to parry blades with someone who's right-handed. But we can put that to the test right now. You can attack me first."

"Uh, okay…" Link found he was even unsure of how to go about that. Shrugging, he raised his knife. "But wait; I don't want to hurt you."

Leo made a noise in his throat that sounded suspiciously like a chuckle. "I'm not concerned. Just go ahead. Give it your best shot."

Drawing the knife back, Link hesitantly made a forward motion with the knife that was aimed vaguely at the man's chest.

_CLANG!_

Leo's longsword flashed like lightning and glanced the knife away, nearly knocking it out of Link's hand. He took a step back, startled. His arm felt rattled from the shock.

Lowering his sword, Leo frowned. "Come on, stop being a gentleman," he goaded. "And you're holding the blade wrong; don't hold it like you're carving a steak. Always keep the blade pointing skyward."

With a huff, Link fixed his grip on the knife.

"Now stand up straight, feet apart," Leo commanded, eying him sternly. "And come at me again."

Without hesitating this time, Link lunged forward and threw his knife at an arc. Leo parried the blow easily, almost lazily. He made no comment about it, but threw Link a rather disdainful look. "Try again, kid."

Growling with frustration, Link attacked again, and found his blows glanced off of Leo's longsword every time. On his fourth time trying, Link tried thrusting the knife at Leo's torso, but the man dashed to the side and as a reprimand struck him in the ribs with the hilt of his sword.

Link gasped at the pain, gripping his bruised side with his free hand. Without a word he whirled around and thrust his blade, but his effort failed and earned him a swift kick in the stomach.

With the wind nearly knocked out of him, Link let the knife drop from his grasp and wheezed, letting out a string of curse words between pained breaths.

With a blank look, Leo sheathed his sword. "Okay, well now I know how much training you've had," he shrugged, sounding disappointed. "Rats."

Link straightened, as he was able to breathe again. "Did you have to kick me?!" he demanded.

"Habits, sorry," Leo said, not sounding the least bit apologetic. "You have to think fast when you're fighting, and you have to do whatever it takes to win."

"I guess fighting fair isn't a part of the regimen," Link muttered while rubbing his aching ribs.

"I'll fight fair when I have a death wish, kid," Leo told him ruthlessly. "Look, if you're going to travel Hyrule, trailed by the king's soldiers, you're going to find yourself in some dangerous places. You're going to have to learn how to defend yourself."

Link sighed. "So are you going to teach me how?"

"No, I'll just stand back and watch you get eaten," Leo drawled with sarcasm. Then he smirked. "Yes. Starting tomorrow, you will begin boot camp schedule."

"Boot camp schedule?"

Leo nodded. "Welcome to hell."

* * *

_A/N: The song lyrics do NOT belong to me; they are from the song "Into the Fire" by Bryan Adams._

_Also, I want to thank those who have reviewed the story thus far, and I implore others who have yet to do so. Reviews are a wonderful source of advice and encouragement. It will only take two minutes of your time._

_By your leave,_

_The Twilight Stallion_


	9. Follow the Stampede

_A/N: Okay, on with the adventure! Please remember to give feedback; it helps, it really does. _

**Chapter 9- Follow the Stampede**

_CLANG!_

The two blades collided in a streak of silver.

_CLANG!_

The cold, metal voice resounded throughout the grassland.

_WHAP!_

The flat side of the longsword swatted Link's wrist, and his own hunt knife flew from his grip, swiveling through the air like a boomerang until it landed hidden beneath a patch of long grass.

Furrowing his brows in frustration, Link cradled his wrist gingerly in the palm of his other hand, examining the dark red mark that was now forming across his skin. Leo stepped back from his offensive position, lowered his sword, and frowned. "Well, what are you waiting for? Go get your weapon," he chastised. "In the few seconds you were standing there, I could've cut you down, kid."

"Right," Link mumbled, and irritably followed the order. He bent down and sifted through the long grass until he felt the cold steel hilt. After picking it up, he winced at the burning sensations he felt in his fingers. Blisters had formed on his hands after several sessions of sword-fighting lessons with Leo; he hoped they would subside soon. The coldness of the metal should have been soothing to the wounds, but merely touching any surface was painful.

Link stood in front of Leo again, throwing him a pleading look, though he dared not complain. In the last few spars, Leo had made it clear that his plans for teaching were rigid and unchanging. The man claimed, "The regime has been tested on men greater and more powerful than yourself, so don't think I'll tailor it to your petty needs." Link also found that the more he criticized the training regime, the longer and more rigorous the lesson. Though he hated to admit it, Link could see that Leo was not just capable; he was extremely difficult to fight. His blows came down hard, yet with blinding speed. The man's movements seemed almost too agile for human capacity; he could dodge a blow made by Link's knife and end up standing right behind him in a matter of seconds.

Though realizing this and his own naive inexperience with the blade, Link's pride suffered from being disarmed for the third time that day. He went to sleep every night nursing a new cut or bruise on his arms or his legs, and occasionally bore a cut on his face from the fury of the clashing blades. Never did he feel like his skill was improving, either. His ever-present fatigue and more often, hunger, did not raise his morale any higher.

"Bah," Leo grunted, sheathing his sword dubiously. "That's enough for today. Let's rest up and grab some water…" His voice faded away. His gaze shifted in every direction, searching the plains.

"What is it?" Link inquired.

"Shh!" Leo shushed him hastily. "Listen. D'you hear that?"

Link tilted his head forward a little, straining to hear. The only sounds he could hear came from a breeze stirring the grasses. "I don't hear anything."

"With those ears, I'm sure you can pick up something," Leo teased him, still gazing out into the distance. "Listen more closely."

Link did. Only now, a faint sound echoed across the prairie, something unidentifiable at first. It grew in frequency.

Hoof beats.

They were hollow, as if they thudded on air rather than earth. But they were there, clear as day now. Along with the hoof beats sounded a neigh, a demon-like hum that was unworldly. Link froze where he stood, entranced by the noises. They sent shivers up his spine, making his body quiver in the slightest.

Leo's face split into a grin. "Aha," he said finally after several moments of stillness. "We're close, I know it. Come on, kid; grab your horse. We're following the Stallion."

By his direction, Link quickly sheathed his knife and jogged over to where Epona stood grazing. With no time to spare, he saddled her, bridled her, and mounted up from the ground.

When Leo did the same, he led Link farther east, trailing the origins of the eerie calls. The horses grew excited from hearing the sounds and needed no urging to lope faster. Link stood up in the stirrups and allowed his mare to flatten out into a gallop, straining to catch a note of the whinnies still resounding across the plains. _It's almost as if he's calling us…_

They rode for five minutes, scanning the plain for any visual signs. The two riders and horses ended up cantering up a series of steep bluffs that appeared along the horizon, looking very out of place. The hills inclined up and declined back down in a sequence, all the while taking them to a higher elevation. At last, the riders ascended the last hill in the progression, and marveled at what stretched before them.

A vast, emerald valley continued on, broadening the horizon with a hazy boundary between the earth and the heavens. The grass was richly green and plentiful, a foil to the azure blue sky that soared over the land with no end. In the distance, the valley distinctly ended nearby a chain of rocky hills, which produced a cascade of river water that flowed along the far side and provided the grass's nutrients.

However, it was not even this breath-taking sight that caught Link's attention. Running freely across the green valley, in an enormous animated herd, were horses of all colors. Their hooves thundered over the land like a rolling storm, their snorts and whinnies jumbled together in a mixed roar. The horses did not run flat out, as if they were in fear, but rather playfully; some friskily tossed their heads and kicked up their heels, their tails waving behind them like flags.

"What is this place?" Link wondered aloud. "I don't remember seeing this place marked on the Hyrulean map."

Still smiling broadly, Leo replied, "That's because it isn't." He then brought two fingers to his lips and whistled sharply. "Proud sons of the earth, come forth! Show us your warmest welcome!"

It took a moment for Link to register that he was calling for the horses. He watched as the herd suddenly veered its course, and the gathering of equines began to thunder in their direction. A brown Appaloosa mare galloped out in the lead, guiding her dominion toward the waiting humans.

The herd trotted and surrounded the riders in a tight circle, until Link could only see the heads of equines tossing and swaying on all sides of him. Leo had dismounted from Flash, almost as a sign of respect. Link imitated him.

Now being surrounded on all sides by the herd, Link was amazed. He had never before seen so many horses of all colors, builds, and ages together in one place. Some horses were large, barrel-chested, and stood taller than eighteen hands. Some were short with stocky legs, and built like ponies. Many were lean with powerful quarters, and solid hooves. There were a number of foals mixed in with the adults. Many of the younglings had scampered closer to their mothers, while some of the yearling colts and fillies pranced in place at the notion of greeting strangers. A plethora of coat colors and patterns met Link's eyes; gleaming red chestnuts, satiny blacks, blue freckled roans, and dappled grays, along with many more.

The lead Appaloosa mare parted the way through the herd, her earthy brown coat standing out from the green grass she stepped on. The white patch on her hindquarters was speckled with spots, and caught the light as she walked.

She halted in front of where the humans stood their ground. The mare's eyes were wide, her nostrils flared, yet she made no other movement.

Link nearly jumped out of his skin when the mare's maw opened, and a shrill voice spoke, "Humans here again! Are you not satisfied with plundering our grounds?"

Trying his best not to let his jaw drop, Link swallowed and stared relentlessly at the mare. _That horse…just talked!_

Leo inclined his head, not breaking eye contact with the Appaloosa. "We come on good terms, Maress," he assured her. "My friend and I have traveled many long miles to come here. You need not be wary of our intentions."

"Indeed not!" The Appaloosa flared, stamping a hoof. "I recall the last band of humans saying something comparable to your promises. They came with weapons, with swords, and arrows as well. They took refuge in our sacred home, depleting our water and resources. Upon their arrival, our Lord disappeared in his Temple! Thus far, humans have brought nothing but turmoil and dirt to our pure valley. For the sake of peace, leave us!"

"You misunderstand, elegant Maress," Leo pleaded her. "We don't come from the royal city. Our business is our own."

The mare reared suddenly, pawing the air with her forelegs with a wild beauty. She touched ground again, snorting. "I have no promise that you are sincere, human. Leave us now!"

A deep, throaty neigh from within the herd stayed the mare's rage. "Be at peace, Windsor."

A line of horses stepped aside to make way for a heavy buckskin stallion. Bulky muscles rippled under a buttermilk pelt, and by the gray strands that flecked his otherwise black mane, he seemed to be an elderly horse. He took a stance on Leo's left, his dark, ageless eyes focused on the mare called Windsor.

The stallion's voice rumbled. "Would you really be so savage and drive away our visitors, Windsor? No Maress would admit to such uncivilized conduct."

Windsor's ears flattened dangerously against her head. "I would rather be accused of savagery than allow this dreadful kind to darken our threshold again! Buck, how can you be so senile?"

The buckskin lowered his head placidly. "I only implore you to let the humans speak. Then decide for yourself if the valley is in need of further protection. By your leave."

The Appaloosa snorted again, then rounded on the two men. "What is your purpose here?"

Leo wasted no time and started talking. "We come on behalf of Princess Zelda, true heiress to the throne of Hyrule's royal family. As you surely know, the king has been assassinated and his crown taken by a false authority. He has sent envoys to your valley, am I right?"

Buck whickered, sounding vengeful. "They have come here. The men left some time ago, but traces of their presence still remain. Following their departure, our lord has not emerged from the Temple in the caverns. It is why, I'm afraid, Windsor has displaced all trust she once held for humans." The mare simmered angrily.

Clearing his throat, Link dared to intercept. "Your lord…would you be referring to the Great Stallion?"

He felt like a fool for asking the question; upon hearing the name, a series of distressed whinnies erupted throughout the herd. Windsor and Buck bugled together, silencing the upset horses.

"The answer to your question is yes. Our lord, Dominus… he is not the same since the men have left the valley." Buck told them somberly.

"Well, we have to find him," Leo stated. "Talk to him, if we can. Do you know where we can find him?"

"What subject is so important that you wish for an audience with the Great Stallion himself?" Buck questioned, nonplussed.

"This here is the Stallion's keeper," Leo gestured toward Link with a wave of his hand. "We only wish to talk with him, and possibly ask for advice."

A painful silence followed his words. The herd vibrated with anxious shuffling of hooves and timid nickers. Link felt anxiety himself, entrapped in a tiny space with the enormous equines creating a forest on all sides.

Finally, Buck spoke again. "His Temple lies in the hills, by the far side of this valley. Cross the river, and hike up the switchback that will take you into the rocks. The cave mouth shaped like a door is the way inside."

* * *

"Ah, here we go," Leo announced cheerfully. Standing at the top of the gray ridge, he shielded his eyes from the midday sun and waved to Link. "I see it."

Link trudged up the pile of dirt and rocks, his mind sidetracked on leaving their horses at the base of the hills to graze. He hoped they would not wander far. As he joined Leo at the top of the ledge, he could see where the other man was pointing.

Carved out of the wall of stone was a rather humanly reminiscent doorway, forming a hollowed out rectangular archway that was easily ten feet high. Puzzled, Link felt entitled to stand his ground and stare while Leo moved toward it.

"It's just a cave," Link stated, knowing it was ridiculously obvious. "When you guys said 'temple,' I imagined something a little more…"

"Grand?" offered Leo. "Understandable, but think about it; can you really picture a horse, even the Great Stallion, living in something like a castle or a palace? The Animals' temples aren't just bridges to the Kingdom; they live there as well. However, they're not meant to be hideaways. Which is why I'm curious as to why the Stallion is treating it like one."

"Do you think Malus sent the soldiers those horses were talking about?" Link asked him.

Cocking his head, Leo said, "Who?"

"Err…" Realizing what he just said, Link corrected himself. "I mean…do you think the king sent those soldiers?"

Leo studied him interestedly for a few seconds, his mouth forming a faint smile. "I don't doubt it," he replied. "I'm sure they were sent here to threaten the Stallion, to threaten his power. That's likely why the herd was so uneasy about our coming. Now then," his smile faded. "Let's go find him."

"Are we really going in there?" Link lingered just before the cave archway, gazing furtively into the darkness that lurked ahead. He felt no desire to abandon the safety of daylight.

"Well, we're not going to find Dominus out here.What, are you _scared?_" Leo teased, grinning.

"No I'm not!" Link objected. Feeling his feet grow heavy, he forced them to move, trailing just behind Leo into the archway. The other man made no reply, except for mumbled chicken noises under his breath. His eyes pitifully followed the light that grew dimmer and dimmer as the two headed into the unknown. It soon became so dark, he could no longer distinguish basic shapes, until even their shadows were concealed from vision.

* * *

_A/N: And thus, the first dungeon is visited._

_By your leave, _

_The Twilight Stallion_


	10. Journey Through the Dark

_A/N: Sincerely sorry for the delay. No promises that updates will be frequent. It really depends on whether you like it or not. Let me know, readers! I'm not working my kaboose off for nothing. Jk, jk._

* * *

**Chapter 10- Journey Through the Dark**

There was a steady rise in temperature as the pitch-black tunnel progressed. An ever-increasing thickness of the air made it hard to breathe. Link closed his eyes for at least two minutes; it sometimes helped reduce the relative darkness. There simply was no light to be had. Eyes closed or not, their progress was the same. Link yelped as he collided with another body.

"Ouch! It's me, you idiot," Leo's disembodied voice grumbled inches away from his ear.

"Sorry, can't see," Link stated obviously. "Why have we stopped?"

"Just making sure you're still with me," Leo told him. "I'm not certain, but I think I see a patch of light ahead."

_Ahead could be in any direction_, Link lamented. He looked where he perceived to be forward, squinting his eyes. True to Leo's word, he too spotted a faint glow from a fair distance. It kindled orange, like the light from flame.

"See? Told you," said Leo. "Let's go."

The light expanded with every tentative step they took, until the entire tunnel was bathed in firelight, the sources burning at the end of two hanging torches. Shadows fled from the light and flickered from their hiding places behind rocks and scattered artifacts that littered the ground. Link crouched to pick up a tattered scroll that lay forgotten on the floor; he brushed away a thick coat of dust.

Holding it by the torchlight, he examined it. An archaic illustration featured a series of overlapping shapes and lines, forming a complex design. The light shifted; it was because Leo gripped one of the torches and yanked it from the wall.

"Find something?" Leo inquired.

Link displayed the old parchment to him. "I think it's a map," he said. "The small box right there looks a lot like the one we're in now."

Taking the scroll in his hands, Leo studied it for himself, his teal eyes flickering in thought. "It is a map," he confirmed. "A map of the tunnels, no doubt. Good thing we found this." He held the map out and rolled it, making it easier to grip with one hand. "According to this, the tunnels twist and turn in many directions, but the way to pass completely through the mountain and exit the other side is by going completely straight."

"Sounds simple enough," said Link.

"Well," Leo sighed. "We need to _stay_ straight; as in don't go any other way. Which means, whatever we run into, we can't go around it." He turned his head to look down the tunnel that continued past their right. "On that happy note, let's keep going."

The lick of flame danced from side to side as Leo switched the torch to his left hand; with his right he drew his sword. They walked down the next tunnel together in silence. When the tunnel opened up into a larger chamber, they were engulfed in waves of heat. Feeling almost felt solid, a strange fume purged the air that Link could not identify.

"Let's shed some light on the subject, shall we?" Leo lowered the torch until the fire suddenly caught onto a brick lined wall. A golden trail of flame snaked down the chamber, spreading to the other side of the cavern, bringing it completely into view.

Now it was apparent why the cavern was so hot; lakes and rivers of a molten substance flooded the pit below. It was copper in color, and swirled, bubbled, and sizzled with the consistency of magma. An earth pathway bridged across the pools, stretching a good hundred yards distance.

"Ugh, it smells," Link covered his mouth and nose, squinting his watering eyes. "Are we in a volcano?"

Leo wrinkled his nose distastefully. "Not an active one. We must be down pretty deep below the surface to see this." He cautiously approached the edge and stared down into the molten pools, though despite his hesitance he showed no fear. "Oh, and the smell is probably hydrogen sulfide."

"Beg your pardon?"

"Chemistry, my friend," Leo turned to him. "Good to know. Moving on, then."

The earthy bridge did not look very promising, but Link felt himself encouraged along by Leo's ushering, straying no further from the dead center of the path. He glanced downward every now and then to see small creatures swimming in the scalding liquid. They were red and hard to see clearly, but they uttered irritable hissing sounds as the two men passed by. Link nearly broke into a jog as they reached the other side, where rock and dirt prevailed dominant.

He stopped and backpedaled as he laid eyes on a significantly larger creature right in front of him. It took on the appearance of a large lizard, with obsidian black scales and jagged spikes running along its spine. The reptile's bulky feet were flat as a pancake as it rested on its belly, though upon seeing Link, it rotated its over-sized head and hissed warily.

Link was briefly petrified, and he was relieved to see Leo standing next to him. "What is _that?_"

"It's a dodongo," Leo told, him, eying the reptile with what appeared to be fascination. "That's strange…why is there one here in the temple?"

"Well, I don't think it's here for decoration," Link remarked, taking inch-long steps away from the dodongo. The lizard had opened its mouth, revealing fleshy pink gums protected by razor-sharp teeth. A guttural hiss rattled from its throat, a clear statement of anger.

"They're very territorial," Leo said, not taking his eyes off the reptile. "Let's try to get past it."

Link fumbled for his knife and drew it from the short scabbard, holding it up parallel to his face. He followed Leo's example of sidestepping in an arc around the dodongo, giving an ample diameter. The reptile gurgled, its pink mouth flashing in a snarl, and lifted its scaly body up and padded toward them. Bumping into Leo, Link stepped away from it, avoiding the creature's jaw full of razors. The lizard moved with blinding speed; it reared suddenly, balancing briefly on its back legs and tail, and clawed the air in an attempt to scare the men away.

Leo's gaze never left the dodongo. "This way," he waved his hand to get Link to follow. They shuffled dangerously close to the molten pools, while the lizard approached them quicker.

The dodongo paused, lowering its head and rapidly sucking in air through two slits of nostrils. It's abdomen swelled, and the black scales began to shimmer red.

"Watch it!" Leo sniped with alarm, grasping Link's collar and thrusting him to the side. Just as that happened, the lizard opened its mouth again and belched a spurt of orange fire, which evaporated instantly upon meeting the air.

"Come on!" Leo shoved him urgently. He and Link stumbled on their way past the dodongo, meeting an angled wall of rocks. From a ways behind, the dodongo had made a recovery and whirled around to trundle toward them in a rage.

The rocks and boulders met an end some fifteen feet above. "We have to climb, go," Leo told him. "You first. Hurry!"

Link complied and took a jutting rock in hand, pushing off with his feet and grasping for footholds. He ignored the sharp scraping that attacked his bare hands, and consistently found ledges to hang on to in his manic climb. Leo followed suit, leaping just out of the dodongo's range.

He never thought he could climb, but amazingly, Link found a way to reach the top of the pile without pausing for breath. His hands bloodied and his face dirty, he rolled onto his back when he made it to solid ground, breathing hard and fast.

He could not see Leo from his supine position, but the man's urgent yell sounded from his left. "Kid, look alive!"

Link's head snapped up; another dodongo was waiting there for him. This specimen was smaller than the one before. The lizard was leaner, and by the menacing snarl it uttered with teeth bared, meaner as well. It acted too quickly to judge; the lizard spitted with fury and charged, its fleshy maw open and ready to feed.

By unbelievable instinct, Link's knife shot from his fist and impaled itself through the roof of the creature's mouth, emitting a sickening _crunch_ as the blade shattered its skull. The dodongo shrieked hopelessly, its wormy tongue flailing as the scaly body collapsed in a heap.

Leaping to his feet, Link swayed and stared at the corpse, hardly believing his reaction. For a fraction of a second, he was sure he would die. That thought, along with the reeking body of the creature he had killed, made him sick. He doubled over a little, squeezing his eyes shut, shutting out a horrible taste in his mouth.

Leo had hastily scrambled up from the rocks; sword out and ready, then paused, his eyes darting from Link to the dead reptile. "Wow…that was lucky," he exhaled, chuckling. "Not bad, kid. Just keep a sharper eye out next time, OK?" He forcefully patted Link on the back and continued on.

* * *

As he followed Leo through the endless tunnels, Link constantly glanced at the bloodstained flat of his blade. The adrenalin was still flowing; it made him feel unnaturally jittery, his heart beating eighty miles an hour. The truth of the matter was clear. He had taken a life. 

It wasn't a human life, not even a particularly intelligent life, so to speak. But it had been a living, breathing creature all the same. _Not anymore._

Despite the queasy feeling it gave him, the fact also made him feel a strange thrill, a surge of excitement in overpowering the monster. Blood was something to stomach, of course, but Link started to see how warriors and knights tolerated it all the time.

The realization caught him off guard, and he immediately felt vile for thinking such thoughts.

"Leo?" Link subconsciously decided not to voice his darker thoughts aloud, but he needed consolation.

Leo looked sideways at him. "Yeah?"

"Have you ever killed anyone?"

Shrugging, Leo replied, "Mostly creatures and ugly things like the one we just ran into."

"What about people? Have you ever killed a person?"

He didn't stop, but Leo was quiet, pointedly averting his eyes to the enlarging tunnel wall. "It's…not something to be proud of," he said honestly. "I was once enlisted in a castle-front battle. In the archery formation, I shot down perhaps five of the oncoming opponents. When we sealed the breach, I slayed two with my sword."

"Oh." Link had hoped for a different answer. "Was it hard to do?"

"Well, I'll admit… I lost some sleep over it," Leo told him. "You can argue ethics until you're blue in the face, but when you're pitted in a contest in which your life can so easily be taken away… ethics really don't matter. It's survival that counts."

Link was silent, only nodding tersely.

"It's hard to explain in words," said Leo. "So I'm not even going to try. You'll surely find out for yourself." The silence continued. It became too much for Leo, who changed the subject abruptly. "Ever notice how every presumably evil creature you run into is coyote-ugly?"

* * *

Sunlight miraculously greeted them at the end of the tunnel. Link arose at the sound of rushing water, and discovered the source to be the river flowing below the slope. They had traveled straight through the mountain, and had arrived to a gorge set into the jagged hills. 

Link looked up and blinked. Through the glare of the sunlight, he spotted a silhouette poised at the edge of the white-crested waters. A gigantic horse turned his head to look at them, amber eyes rimmed white, his nostrils fanned open in surprise. He was a splendid eclipse before their eyes, a honey-gold coated stallion with bulging shoulders, shaggy feathering covering his hooves, and a magnificent broad face.

"_Humans!!_" The Great Stallion's startled cry boomed with mingled shock and rage, enough to render Link very much afraid. The horse pounded the dirt with his hooves and then leaped into an astonishing rear, emitting a hollow and throaty neigh. The voice was chilling, as if two neighs resounded at once. He landed squarely and charged, his long mane flying in his wrath.

"Wait stop! We're here to help!" Link's shout was futile as he hurled himself to the side to dodge the oncoming beast. The Stallion reached Leo instead, and the man was caught dead center between the horse's forelegs, trapped lying flat and vulnerable on his back.

The Stallion ignored Link and looked down at Leo, whose face was surprisingly blank. The attack had obviously caught him off guard. The man's eyes grew wide, and he stared up into the horse's large pupils, stunned beyond words.

"I will not be so kind to you as I was to those who came prior to yourself," the Stallion snorted in Leo's face. His white teeth flashed in the sunlight. "I tire of your unequal treaties. I shall hear no more of them. Forgive me," He launched his hooves into the air in a half rear.

"No!" Link rushed to Leo's side, shrinking before the enraged stallion. "Don't… our arrival was uninvited, yes, but please hear us out." Reaching into his pocket, he brandished his medallion. "My name is Link. This medallion contains your spirit, and all your potential powers… Dominus."


	11. Northern Promise

_A/N: Another long delay, and for that I apologize. I would also like to thank Invisiboy for a suggestion in his review, one that I took to heart and decided to incorporate into this chapter. :)_

* * *

 **Chapter 11- Northern Promise**

The Stallion froze as he heard Link speak, and he slowly touched ground and backed away, a startled look besetting his face. "You know my name," his voice quieted. "And you are…the wielder of this…object?"

Link nodded, swallowing a lump from his throat in relief. He glanced at Leo and extended a hand to help him up. The other man curtly lifted himself up from his vulnerable position, disregarding Link's offer for assistance. 

Now that the atmosphere had calmed down, Dominus's eyes sparkled with curiosity rather than anger. "Incredible," he breathed. "Even after so many centuries, I never thought it would happen…ahem. I beg your pardon for my behavior. I like to think of myself as optimistic and trusting, but with all the threats, the turbulence…it angers me so, and I've felt nothing but aloofness to your kind for a time."

"Never mind," Link assured him, lowering his medallion and straightening up. "We came here on the run from the king's envoys. The castle's been taken over by … a false king. The Princess is trapped there, and she was counting on us to reach you. Please… we come asking for your help."

Dominus closed his eyes, releasing a heavy breath. "I see," he murmured. "It's apparent now why I was confronted by those men. They camped out in the valley, while a trio came to my temple and demanded I come along to Scutum. They promised many gifts, many favors, but the conditions were certainly questionable. I refused, and they attacked. My herd was there to counter the men off, and with that, they retreated. But since that day I have lived in fear of their return."

"Do you know what it is they want from you?" Leo asked, after a moment of stillness. 

"My allegiance," Dominus replied. "And my help in finding the one who controls my spirit." His softening gaze rested on Link. "You say that a new king has risen to power. If he has tried to tempt me, then I fear for the others."

"Others?" Link interposed.

"The other Animals," Leo answered quickly. 

With a nod, Dominus continued. "Yes, the others are like me; they remain mortal, wandering aimlessly through Hyrule, waiting for their chosen ones as well. If only we stood united once again, awakened to full power… I would have no reason to fear a despot." 

"I'll bet anything he's determined to find the rest of the Animals as well," Leo stated, his eyes growing misty. "Also, I doubt Hyrule's welfare will be the first thing on his mind once he has you all under his control." 

"True," the Stallion sighed. "And with Zelda out of communication…there is little hope. But it's not too late to act."

Link did not like what he was hearing. Everything Malus had elaborated on at the castle was making sense. If every Animal were cornered alone, they would be easy to conquer. If the keepers of all five were discovered and forced under a single alliance…

_Just like the Princess told me,_ he thought. _Unlimited power._

"What can we do to help?" Although he might have been offering himself up as bait to some ridiculous quest, Link felt more responsible than ever. It was clearer to him now. As the only known keeper, it was his duty to the Great Stallion to protect him from a tyrant's wrath. _Even if the tyrant is my own flesh and blood…_

Dominus cast a kind gaze over the young man, his lips curling in a half-hearted smile. "Such ambition, Link," he commented. "It is noble of you to ask. I hate to bestow such burdens on your young shoulders. However…if you are willing to carry out my wishes, then I implore you to do so."

"Name it."

"We five must stand together again. It is our only hope of survival against our growing foe. And we each must find a keeper to awaken the deity that sleeps within our mortal bodies. And here is the request I must ask of you Link. Go and seek the loyalty of the other five Animals. I can tell you of their likely location."

Link thought this over, glancing at Leo for approval. The man shrugged wordlessly. "And…the keepers? How are we to find them?"

"That will depend," said Dominus. "The ancient legend proclaims that every keeper has a destiny that becomes linked with one another, in whatever shape or form. Their lives cross over in mysterious ways. All I can tell you is this; pay close attention to the world around you. Everyone you come into contact with will impact you in ways you can't begin to imagine. Listen to people you talk to, understand them. Time will eventually reveal the chosen ones in our midst."

Any understanding Link had grasped the moment before vanished with that closing statement. He exhaled, scratching the back of his head. "Just tell me where to go."

"The closest destination would be the forest," said Dominus, turning his elongated nose to the north. "The Great Wolf lies in wait there. His name is Ulric. I suggest you go there first, Link."

* * *

Dominus knew the way through the hills, so Link and Leo followed him on foot along the river's edge until they arrived back to the valley. An excited herd greeted them, and there was much rejoice. Later on, Link would recall his fortune of not getting trampled, as he was jumbled in a fray of animation, of praise and of admiration from the speaking horses to the pair of humans who miraculously brought the Stallion back where he belonged. His vision swam with the forms of flurrying equines in all directions, and he suddenly felt rather dazed and confused with all that had occurred that day.

Leo glanced first at Link and then to Dominus. The Stallion was surrounded by his comrades, and looking quite pleased to be there. He had touched noses with Windsor, laid his head along Buck's withers and sighed, and he nuzzled the many colts that had crowded around with excitement.

"Oh, how loneliness has plagued me for so long!" the Stallion bugled happily. "My heart has never felt warmer than to look upon the faces of my herd once more. You men have done me a great deed, and for that I thank you."

Link nodded, giving a courageous smile. "I think we ought to be on our way soon," he said. "Do you know where we can find our horses?"

No later than several seconds passed before his sorrel mare trotted up to him, still saddled, tailed by Flash. Epona flicked her ears at the Great Stallion, apathetically greeting him as she would any other creature. Link reached up and affectionately rubbed her blaze, taking hold of her reins. 

"I wish the two of you a safe journey," Dominus gave them a bow of his head. "May the Goddesses bless you and guide you through your trials."

"Right, the Goddesses," Leo nodded briskly as he swung into Flash's saddle. "If they could shoot down a warm bed and a well done filet, I would most certainly feel blessed."

* * *

In only a matter of days, Hyrule had weakened to a state as frail as its princess.

Zelda rested her bony chin on her knees, rocking slightly back and forth, letting out a faint whimper every now and then. Her bones rattled with the coldness of the chains placed about her limbs, which weighed down her delicate frame. Her once bright sapphire eyes dimmed as she stared bleakly into the darkness of the dungeon. 

She perked to the whine of the door swinging open from down the hall. The princess weakly turned her head, straining to see in the dark as the single beam of light disappeared as the door closed once again. A second light ignited, a churning blue flame, and the gaunt, hollow face of the king was illuminated in pale radiance.

"Would you care for some fresh air, Princess?" came his rasping voice. A jingle of keys was followed by the creak of the jail door. As a clash of metal on stone thundered in the darkness, Zelda slowly rose, her limbs quaking. She remained rigid as the king stepped toward her and nonchalantly began to work at her cufflinks. The chains uncoiled and collapsed in a heap, and the Princess gingerly rubbed the raw areas of her wrists.

"Come," the king ordered, and subsequently turned to lead her up and out of the dungeon. Zelda squinted as the light reappeared in white luminosity, too intense for her darkened orbs to take in. For a moment or two she felt blinded by the change of environment and reluctantly followed the king's placid footsteps.

"Do you not expect me to run away?" Zelda asked as she stumbled further in sightlessness. 

The king glanced back at her dubiously. "Do you expect to get very far?"

"I don't hear any guards around here." Zelda blinked a few times, and distorted shapes and colors became apparent. The drearily lit lower hallway of the castle soon revealed itself in her vision. "In fact, I don't see anyone here at all. What happened to castle security?"

The king gave a chuckle. "Guards are incompetent," he stated matter-of-factly. "At least compared to the barriers and enchantments you can erect around a fortress. Just to forewarn you, Princess, if you try and run now, you'll most likely be shoved back by a warden spell."

They arrived at a familiar place in Zelda's memory; a four-pane glass window that overlooked the castle courtyard, and provided a partial view of the training grounds. The king halted by the window, hazel eyes resting on the Princess's feeble frame. "Would you like to look at my kingdom, Princess?"

Zelda sniffed, cringing when he spoke the word _my._ None of Hyrule belonged to this counterfeit. She despised the way everyone in the castle had so easily bent to his will, the way they carried out their tasks in both fear and approbation. She despised her own weakness in handling the situation. In the back of her mind, the Princess knew that she could do nothing; she had neither power nor influence anymore. Yet she still could find no sleep at night.

The Princess spoke none of her feelings aloud, but grudgingly approached the window and peered through.

The quickly approaching winter had wilted the courtyard grass to a sickly brown, contrasting to the ever-white stone square. The sky was clouding over, and angry swollen clouds bloated above the mountains, indicating upcoming snow. Down by the training grounds, distant lines of men marched in rhythmic patterns according to two officers' commands. Cloaked figures occasionally scampered up the courtyard walkway.

There was an unfamiliar setup just beyond the grounds. A makeshift shack, visibly built in haste. Dug into the dirt beside it was a vast pit, layered on top by a set of thick bars comparable to the ones in the jail. Zelda's brows furrowed as two tiny figures made quick progress toward the shack, one struggling against the other, until they both disappeared inside. The Princess tilted her gaze cautiously toward the king, searching for an explanation.

"Like it?" the king inquired.

"I'm not impressed," Zelda scoffed ruefully. 

Not appearing the least bit affronted, the king shrugged his shoulders. "Well, the Redeads don't make a pleasant atmosphere, admittedly. But it's a necessary evil."

Glancing back out the window, Zelda stared blazingly at the shack again. So far, nothing looked different. "Necessary evil," she muttered, her fists shaking in anger. "There's nothing _necessary _about turning Scutum into a concentration camp."

"You would be surprised, Princess," the king growled. He took a stance next to her at the window, following her gaze stoically. Up close, Zelda noticed how his once handsome young face had aged and paled in such a short time, how bloodshot his eyes were. "If you request to observe the training sessions during the day, I would be happy to escort you. Perhaps then you will see how vital a swift, mobile army can be."

"Redeads cannot work together in a company," said Zelda. "They have no rational thought, no empathy. They would turn on your own live men if they felt the urge."

"Hence the stockade," the king gestured toward the pit. "These creatures need no training. As long as my captains exercise control over their sects, the army is unbeatable on the battlefield."

"And where, pray tell, do you find such willing volunteers for such a grotesque fate?" Zelda set her icy stare upon the man next to her.

The king returned her gaze with a sickening leer. "The prisoners and criminals were the first to go, of course," he said.

"Of course," Zelda monotonously replied.

"Then there is Scutum, chock full of every lowlife and street rat with less than several molars. They can be disposed of."

"What will you do then, when Scutum's supply of disposables are depleted?"

The king returned to looking out the window. "There are always alternatives." He lifted a hand to his face and blearily rubbed his eyes. "You know, I have functioned over this past week with one hour of sleep a night."

"That doesn't surprise me," Zelda said evenly. "I too would be kept awake by the screams of innocents outside the castle."

With a huff, the king smirked at her. "Surely," he murmured. "But no, that is not it. I have lost sleep, fervently wondering where in Hyrule my brother has fled. I worry for his safety."

Zelda nearly snorted. "His safety? Bah! It is your doing that led to his flight," she rounded. "You betrayed your own blood, locked him away. What did you expect?" 

"Give me some credit, Princess," the king gave her a mockingly slighted look. "My decision was far from final. I hardly expected Link to catch on immediately. His shock, I could sympathize. His anger, I could understand. But his outright defiance… I never expected that."

"He has courage," the Princess told him flatly. "Courage enough to resist you when everyone else cowardly did as they were told."

The king appeared not to have heard. "It angered me at the time, although now I'm rather regretful at how harshly I treated him. He could have been a worthy ally, had he cooperated."

"An ally?" Zelda bore a sting into her voice. "Or a puppet?" 

Her outburst was met by the king's cold stare. "I could have killed him, you know. Right there on the spot. But I didn't. You want to know why?" He did not wait for a response. "Because, as the legend foretells, the keepers' destinies all link together eventually. It's not a concept to be taken lightly. I do not believe it is coincidence that we, two brothers of a single sire, were chosen to be keepers."

Zelda's eyes glinted as she peered at the king's haunted face. "You mean…?

A cocky grin marred the man's features as he reached into his cloak and produced a brightly shining emerald medallion. The crafty, steel eye of a snake shimmered silver from its face. "Was it any wonder how quickly I came to power?" he boasted. "It doesn't get any easier when you stumble upon an endless source of magic with Hyrule's army and royal family at your disposal."

The princess was silently overcoming her initial shock at this discovery. "So you're saying you just _found_ this?"

"I took what was mine," the king stated resolutely.

A moment of racing thoughts. "No," Zelda countered. "You took it from Archimago. From his cold, dead hands after you murdered him."

The king sniffed. "Inquisitive one, you are. Just where does one of so few years earn so much wisdom?"

Zelda angled her head in a bemused manner. "Why do you ask?" Her calm demeanor effectively suppressed the panic that was mounting inside of her. It was obvious… her secret was discovered, or would be soon enough.

Acting casual, the king asked placidly, "How old are you again? Eighteen?"

Swallowing more loudly than she would have liked, Zelda shakily nodded her head. "Eighteen."

"Ah…" The king lazily twirled his medallion between his fingers. "So that means you were born in the year 1240?"

Her pulse was racing, her heart frantically beating against the bars of her ribcage. "Yes." 

"Oh, but wait…" The king's casual smile gave way to a mean grin. "That year occurred about fifty years ago, am I right?"

"I…" Zelda's voice faded to a whisper. "…Yes…"

With a triumphant chuckle, the king phased away from his cruel stare and relaxed. "Oh don't worry Zelda, you certainly don't look your age. All I want to know is… how?"

The Princess purposely gave him a blank stare. 

The king persisted. "Tell me, how did it happen that on your eighteenth birthday, the Five chose you as their Sage?"

Only silence met this question. The air grew pregnant with tension. 

"Of all of us, I figured you would know more about them than anyone," the king remarked. "Yet you remained in your cozy little castle on a cloud for fifty years, wasting the endless time you have been granted. Tell me how that is grateful."

"That was my duty," Zelda replied suddenly, letting out a heavy sigh. "Until I became Queen, I had no authority to govern the state nor the Five in any manner. And they all knew I would have a hard time gaining the throne with my father being as young and energetic as he was. So…they granted me long life, hoping that the Goddesses forbid I should have any brothers, and that I would live to see my father die and bequeath Hyrule unto me."

"How did your father die, Princess?"

Zelda crossed her feeble arms and looked squarely at him. "Which one? Biological or surrogate?"

The king grunted in irritation at the mention of former King Edward. "Biological."

"He was poisoned," the Princess replied. "No one ever found out who did it or why."

"And you were still denied the throne," the king uttered like a lament. 

With a curt nod, Zelda continued. "After my real father's death, the council elected to promote a steward to act in the stead of both ruler and father to me. Hyrule soon became convinced that its Princess was gone as well, and my face was merely a coincidental look-alike of the former."

"I pity you, Princess," the king murmured to her. "For never realizing your true potential. I for one see no reason to keep breathing unless you follow your destiny and prove your utmost worth."

"And that manner of big thinking will destroy you," Zelda told him calmly. "And you'll drag all of Hyrule down with you."

The king raised his thick eyebrows, and then lowered them moodily. "You may have wisdom, but you know not the future. My strength just continues to grow, and soon you'll have no choice, Princess, but to completely submit to me. So will Link, and he will discover this soon."

His position shifted. Malus stood before the Princess; his height towering over hers, and gently laid his hand along her jawbone, with a softness that one never would have been able to guess. "But, force and entrapment become such exhausting ways of persuasion," his raspy voice had diminished below audibility. 

Zelda nearly flinched, but she remained still as a statue. Her eyes closed, brimming with tears. She remembered well the last time she felt a hand on her face, as warm and embracing as a sun-kissed day. She recalled the taste of his lips on her own, his curious aroma she would drink in deeply. With a flutter of her eyelids, Zelda had returned to the present, and discovered the man caressing her face was not who she expected.

The Princess wrested herself from his touch, glared fiercely at him while hot tears streaked down her face. "Death would make a more apt fate," she hissed dangerously.

Malus withdrew, his bleary eyes fogging over with anger and disappointment. "You say so with confidence, then so it shall be. If, by spring's first defrost, your opinion is the same, then an execution will be in order." 

He indignantly flung his cloak and stalked away, his footfalls swift and echoing across the hallway. As his figure disappeared down a different corridor, the Princess rested her back against the wall, slowly sliding to the floor. Cradling her head in her hands, the tears flowed freely now. Her despair spoke with mingled thoughts inside her secretive mind. _Come back to me…I wish for my freedom. I am a dove captive within the iron bars of fate. Come back to me…_

* * *

_Come back to me…_

The pain-stricken words leapt from his subconscious like a verse of a poem. Link bolted upright from his sleeping place, staring wildly into pitch-blackness. He glanced upward, breathing shallowly, taking in the stars and crescent moon as a sure sign of morning's long journey to travel. 

As his body ceased quivering and his pulse slowed to normal, Link began to feel sleepy again. He was about to retire when a shuffling across to his right caught his attention.

"Leo, are you awake?"

"…Yes," came a disgruntled reply in the darkness. "What are you doing up?"

The man's voice sounded genuinely tired, and strangled as well. Link twisted himself around to face Leo's dark, somewhat visible figure sitting some distance away. "What's wrong? Are you okay?"

"Of course I am!" Leo snapped harshly. "Why the hell are you awake anyway? Go back to sleep." 

* * *


	12. Never Cry Wolf

* * *

**Chapter 12- Never Cry Wolf**

Fall's brilliant auburn foliage ran its course all too quickly that year. The change in weather was sudden and stifling. The grasslands wilted to dull brown, fitting beneath a melancholy gray sky. Agrelonge's native creatures sank into a profound silence as they settled down for long winter hibernation.

Never a traditional morning person, Link grew to hate his daily awakenings. Especially when the nights became chilly, he never slept well while his body shivered underneath a pitifully thin blanket. Upon rising, his joints fused and ached while his eyes fogged over with exhaustion. Many nights occurred where he slept fully dressed to ward off the cold.

One day, as Link kneeled over the bank of a stream, he could spot tiny flakes of snow flying in the breeze. His torso was bare and exposed to the cold, while his blue-tinted fingers kneaded his shirt in the running water. With stiff shoulders, eyes shadowed with vague concentration, Link curtly acknowledged the presence of the snow, unwilling to move lest he should succumb to his discomfort.

Slowly he grew numb watching patches of dirt and sweat wash away from the threads of his shirt, amazed at the grime that had accumulated after a few weeks' worth of travel.

"Hey kid, hurry up!," came Leo's impatient call from camp.

With an irritable grunt, Link rose, wringing the excess water from his shirt by twisting it in a fierce knot. Not wanting to be subjected to another one of Leo's complaints about his idleness, Link quickly pulled the sopping wet fabric over his head, unsure of what else to do with it.

He yelped as the icy threads clung possessively to his skin, sending jolts of fire to his bones. Link bounded back up the hump of the hill to camp, to where Epona stood tacked and ready, and fumbled for his green tunic that lay spread across the saddle. He wrapped the frayed cloth around himself like a blanket, rocking slightly back and forth in an attempt to warm his damp clothes.

Leo looked up. "Water's a little cold, eh?"

"Sh-sh-shut up," Link's teeth chattered as he spat out the words. Leo laughed.

* * *

There were noticeably more trees as the pair continued their journey. The forest had no solid boundary, rather a sparse copse of firs that thickened with progress. The dreary weather had not improved.

Luckily, Link's clothes had dried, and he had grown numb to the cold. "Well, you certainly know your way around Hyrule," he commented dryly. "Do you think we lost those soldiers yet?"

"Not likely," Leo replied. He tapped Flash lightly with his heels, and the gelding broke into a quick trot. "Just because we can't see them doesn't mean they're not still nearby. They're probably skirting the forest to avoid being seen."

At that idea, Link shivered. "What will we do if they catch up to us?"

"They won't," Leo told him confidently.

"But what if-"

"They won't."

Link threw the man a sullen look of dismay. Reining in Flash briefly, Leo gazed squarely at him. "Would I lie to you?"

"How should I know?" Link asked him doubtfully.

Leo opened his mouth to respond, but paused, his eyes widening. "Oh no, behind you! There's a soldier now!"

Epona tossed her head and squealed as Link jerked his left rein, turning the mare on her hocks. He wildly glanced side to side. "Where?!"

There was nothing out of the ordinary to be seen. Only the occasional conifer tree dictated its presence before an audience of dying grass. Epona shifted on her own as Link searched the grove for activity. He heard a snicker behind him.

"Gotcha."

Link whirled to face Leo, brows furrowing crossly. "That wasn't funny!"

"Yes it was," chuckled Leo, wiping a tear from his eye. "You're wound tighter than a metal spring, kid."

"Let's just move on," Link snapped. He flicked his reins sharply and sent Epona into a hasty canter.

The lingering daylight dwindled as the riders ventured into a deeper maze of trees. All too quickly, any paths to the outside seemed to disappear, enclosing them the dark. Link felt distinctly claustrophobic, never having been in such a place as this. His imagination got the best of him, as black shapes fluttered between the trees and brush and looked suspiciously like wicked monsters.

_They're probably just squirrels,_ he told himself firmly. Even so, he closed his eyes tightly and listened intently to the crunching of pine cones beneath the horses' feet.

"Stay close," Leo's voice was quiet, yet alert. "Don't get separated from me. This is a huge forest; it won't do you any good to get lost."

All around woodland embraced them. Link found himself getting pummeled constantly by thick needled branches. He wrinkled his nose at the pungent aroma of pine, an ordinarily pleasant smell when not quite so suffocating. Heeding Leo's advice, Link closed his legs firmly around Epona's sides, enough to encourage the horse to tailgate Flash. The mare seemed as stifled by the forest as he; her movements were stiff and careful, her ears strained and stretched to catch every faint sound.

Link lurched forward as the mare froze in place, neck straight and head angled slightly to the side. Her nostrils flared, making an alarmed fanning noise**(1)**. Throwing his hand out on Epona's withers to rebalance himself, Link gathered his reins. "Steady, steady," he whispered, almost afraid to disturb the forest.

His quiet consolation did little justice. Epona ducked her head down and upward again, snorting and kicking up her heels. The only thing keeping her from bolting was Link's seesawing motion on the reins. "Whoa! Settle down!" he cried, trying to keep his seat.

Leo wheeled Flash around to face them, his face austere. "Contain your horse!" he barked. "We're not alone."

"What do you mean?"

He never received an answer. Instead of Leo's voice, Link heard a deep growl coming from niches of the surrounding brush. Suddenly the throaty noises resounded from every angle, sending Epona into a frenzy of rears and bucks, loosing Link from the saddle. Terrified, with two hands he grasped the mare's mane as they toppled backward, Epona flailing with her legs kicking the air, while Link landed in the dirt beside her. The chaos afflicted his ability to react; dumbly he thrashed his legs out to free them from the stirrups, but he had not been thrown clearly enough. As Epona dashed to her feet, Link yelled as he was yanked along by his ankles, still caught in the irons. Flashes of brown and green zipped by in a surreal blur as the horse bolted, and Link thought he heard Leo shout his name before the beastly snarling drowned it out.

One of their pursuers sprinted alongside them; a hulking brute of a wolf ambled easily along on stilt-like legs, its thickly furred hump of a back rocking in rhythm. Saliva bubbled from the animal's teeth as it snapped at Epona's heels.

With a yell, Link kicked his foot fiercely, desperate to pull free before he became a meal. He could feel the forest floor ripping and tearing at his tunic as he was pulled mercilessly along. He howled as his back burned from the friction, as his knees creaked with the force inflicted from this quandary of an incident.

Without enough time for Link to feel truly afraid for his life, everything stopped. The world abruptly came to a halt, though colors and blurry shapes still swam before Link's eyes as his aching head adjusted to the change. Under sufficient pressure, the billet strap of the saddle had mercifully snapped, sending the fallen rider sprawled upon the ground as Epona continued to flee, with three or four of those gigantic wolf-like creatures on the hunt. The beasts' eerie calls faded as quickly as the mare's hoof-beats, leaving Link alone in a stadium of solitude.

_Goddesses, that hurts, _Link groaned as he fought throbbing muscles in order to sit up. Falls from horseback had never treated him too kindly in the past, but this one had cost him dearly. It hurt to move, to breathe…with one small intake of breath a terrible pain constricted his lungs. It took several gasps of air before Link could think clearly.

The ghostly silence now claimed a nearly deafening quality all its own. Not even a cricket chirped in the vicinity. Despite the protests of his body, Link stood up unsteadily, eyes warily searching for any sign of life. It seemed that Leo had disappeared along with Epona, and now the forest refused to show him the proper way to go. The trees closed in malevolently around him, while tendrils of mist began to creep between the trunks, adding a superficial stillness to complement the scene. _Something's not right,_ Link thought, although that much was obvious. The way those wolf…things just ambushed them upon their entrance to the forest was too convenient to be an accident. Link felt the urge to call out, to see if Leo could hear him somewhere nearby, but he was afraid to attract attention. His own paranoia told him there were soldiers lurking in the shadows, hidden in the mist, plotting his capture.

It became deathly cold. Link rubbed his hands vigorously together, relishing the tiny traces of heat he could produce. Hugging himself tightly, he dared to take a few steps, wincing as sharp pain flared up in his knees.

_SNAP!_ Link balked at the unexpected noise, freezing in place. He glanced over his shoulder, and forward again. He waited.

_SNAP!_ When the noise came again, Link' s breathing quickened, but he remained motionless. "Leo? Is that you?" he asked hesitantly. He tried to convince himself that the sounds were merely twigs snapping beneath horse hooves, preferably Epona's or Flash's.

Then he could see a cloaked figure, treading swiftly several trees away without making a sound. With no horse, the figure darted between shadows at naught but a graceful, fluid walk. Link strained to see in the shade of the canopy; his heart hammered with interest. He and Leo were not the only people in the forest. And this certainly was no soldier. "Hey, you!" he called, setting off at a brisk walk to catch up.

The figure balked, turning its hood sharply. Link thought he heard a soft gasp from the dark cavity of its hood, but the person's face was indiscernible. Silently, but purposefully, the stranger flew away, bounding through the woods with the ease of a gazelle. Link caught a glimpse of leather boots from under the frayed edges of the cloak.

"Wait! Come back!"As Link started to run, the mysterious figure did also, darting nimbly between bushes and logs. "Where are you going?"

No answer. Link grew restless and picked up speed, feeling heavy-footed and clumsy on the trail compared to the other's dignified gallop. "Wait, talk to me, who are you? Stop!" At last he was just a step behind, and in a desperate plea he threw his hand out and grasped the gray cloak hood with the tips of his fingers. A muffled cry of alarm came from within the hood as it was wrenched away, revealing a mess of ebony curls.

It was a young woman, black eyes large with fear, glaring suspiciously back at Link while crouched defensively to the side. Her body froze awkwardly underneath the cloak and she remained still as a statue, her triangle face angled upward stiffly. Her long, wavy black hair was tied back in a hasty manner, although scraggly bangs hung over solid, dark eyebrows.

Though her expression and posture were both severe, her voice came out as a willowy whisper. "What…what do you want?"

Link drew away, eyebrows raised. This was the least of his expectations. "I…I didn't know…I just wanted to know who you were..."

The woman said nothing. Her face twitched slightly, as if resisting the urge to cry out, but her expression stayed the same.

"I'm…sorry if I frightened you," Link said quickly. He meant it. "It's just…I did not expect to see anyone else here, that's all."

"Nor I," the woman said quietly, finally straightening herself and relaxing. "My friends warned me of strangers, though…they said there are creatures in this forest unseen for hundreds of years, full of anger, malevolence…I thought, at first, your voice was trying to deceive me."

Link studied her smooth, pale face, noticing how she seemed to illuminate an otherwise foreboding forest. "So you're not here alone."

"No…I am not quite so foolhardy." A hint of a smile crept into her features. "What about you? Are you lost?"

Link found himself smiling too, in spite of himself, and replied, "Ah…no, I've just become separated from my own companion, and now I have no idea where I am."

"…I see," said the girl, mildly amused. "I'm afraid I am in the same situation. Perhaps it would be safer, with those Wolfoses running around, if we stay together?"

"Is that what they are? Wolfoses?" Link had known those beasts were unnatural. "Well, if you trust me enough, then we can comb the forests for our friends. Oh…" he paused, suddenly hesitant. "I'm Link."

"Karana," came the girl's unguarded response. "Nice to meet you."

* * *

_(1) This is a very distinct noise my horse makes when she is frightened; it resembles the sound that a card makes when you stick it in the spokes of a bicycle wheel. Unfortunately, my lack of more effective adjectives stymied my ability to express it properly in the story. xP_


End file.
